Final Fantasy: Eidolons of Harmony
by Belligerent Bindlestiff
Summary: After facing the greatest trial of his life, Kain Highwind finds himself as a defender in Equestria. He's forged bonds with those who helped pull him from the darkness and is coming to terms with the magic of friendship. However, a new threat looms over the horizon. This is the sequel to "Atonement for a Wayward Dragoon"
1. Resonance

Resonance

On the second floor of the Ponyville Inn, a cobalt blue stallion with a blonde mane looked over pieces of armor that had been carefully set out. Each piece was a deep shade of purple with various pointed ends. Put together, they would be the iconic armor of a dragoon, a knight who could use the power of dragons. Alongside it, a spear and shield lay against the wall, the weapons also the trademark gear of a dragoon. Altogether, this equipment belonged to a dragoon foreign to Equestria, Kain Highwind.

Kain examined his gear and gave a sigh. _It all is a bit much_. He thought to himself and instead moved away from the armor towards a cloak hung on the wall. It was simple, light purple piece of cloth that the dragoon wrapped around his neck. He collected his spear and slung it over his back and made his way downstairs.

The stallion greeted the innkeeper and made his way outside to town. Through a series of events, he found himself changed from human to pony, from traitor to protector, and from recluse to friend. Equestria had changed his outlook and perogative on life. He now found himself to be appointed guard of his new home town.

Kain began his morning with a walk around the town. There were all sorts of earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi that populated Ponyville. Each one wore smiles as they began about their day. Some nodded at Kain as he passed by the various districts. He saw many youngsters making their way to school. Amongst them, three familiar fillies, the cutie mark crusaders, noticed the dragoon and waved at him as they walked. Kain waved back at them and continued on his "patrol".

He passed by many places that had become familiar in his day to day routine in only a few weeks. The early morning was spent visiting past Sweet Apple Acres and Fluttershy's cottage to check on Ponyville's outskirts. His morning ended with a trip to Sugar Cube Corner for a breakfast stop from an all too familiar and energetic mare.

His next order of business was to be briefed of any news from the princesses by Twilight Sparkle at her library, but one stop needed to be made before he completed his morning rounds.

He needed to visit Carousel Boutique, not for any new clothing or for the town's safety, but because Kain needed to visit the most special person in his life. Rarity had been the pony to help him break past his own personal darkness of treachery. When he had shared his story with her and she was able to look past his misgivings and had given him a new reason to live life to its fullest.

Every day when they'd meet, she would inquire about his day and informing of her latest projects. After his first weeks in Equestria, Kain's patrol never really had much a story to tell; and even though he was Princess Luna's emissary to Ponyville, he hadn't really received any sort of missions. Life was plain, almost boring even, but Kain liked it that way. He'd dealt with world ending threats on his home world, the Blue Planet, and endured the most difficult personal trial of his life when he came to Equestria.

A quiet patrol and an empty dossier of missions was a welcomed change to his life.

"Kain darling, Twilight will be hosting supper this afternoon." Rarity said as she scanned though her portfolio. "She's extended an invitation to you as well, she meant to give it to you earlier this morning, but she must have been preoccupied by some other matter."

Rarity pulled a dress from a poniquine and onto her desk. "I do hope I'm not being a tad too overzealous debuting another of my works before the rest of my collection is complete. But oh, I do love my work."

"Your craft is nothing to hide from the world Rarity." Kain said. "And yes, I can attend this gathering. Though tonight I have a patrol as well, so I may not be able to stay for long."

"That's quite alright Kain." Rarity said. "I'm just happy we've some time to spend together."

She approached Kain and nuzzled him, to which he blushed from the affection.

It was still a rather new experience to have an affectionate gesture like that from another. Stranger yet was that it was from a pony. Kain was originally human, but he decided that it was just as important to brave this new territory as any other experience he'd faced.

/

The day soon turned to early evening with little event for the dragoon and he then found himself at Twilight's library. Luckily, it was just a small gathering between the element bearers, so he wouldn't have to worry about speaking over any loud music that would come from a Pinkie Pie Party.

Spike had just started serving soup to everyone when Twilight began to talk about her latest research.

"It's really just exciting to be doing work with the Elements of Harmony themselves. Recently, I've learned they may have more properties to them than we originally thought!" Twilight said.

Although his knowledge of magic wasn't vast, Kain found that he was interested in the subject matter. Though a Mysidian mage from his homeworld might have had an easier time understanding what Twilight was getting at. It was already apparent that some of the others, like Pinkie and Rainbow Dash, were more fixated on food than conversation.

"Why, just last night, I made a discovery that they're emitting another force aside from the magic of their corresponding element!" Twilight continued.

"Uh, ya sure ya want to be messin around with them again girl?" Applejack asked. "The last time you did that, we thought ya blew yerself up."

"Don't worry, Applejack." Twilight said. "I'm taking every precaution and not casting any spells using the elements."

Spike had just finished serving himself and began eating as if this was all in a day with Twilight.

"Do take care of yourself dear." Rarity said. "I know that Spike is helping you, but please don't do anything that might be hazardous to your health."

"Yeah, try not to blow anything else up while you're at it!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Girls!" Twilight said, breaking the conversation. "I'm not going to blow up anything! In fact, Princess Luna and Celestia both asked me to look into this directly." She then paused and shifted uncomfortably.

"It's strange really; I was actually surprised they wanted me to study them again. Princess Celestia asked me specifically to look into them again out of the blue. And to be honest, I sensed the elements giving off an aura that seemed quite different the last time we held them. It felt kind of funny."

"I didn't know magic could be funny Twilight!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "Did the elements start telling jokes? Was it the Element of Laughter? What did it say?"

"Not funny in that sense Pinkie. "Twilight said. "I mean, it's like their ambient energy seemed different, something new in addition to what they felt like before."

"What do you mean by that?" Kain asked.

"I can't quite explain it, but it's sort of like going outside and just feeling like something is just slightly off. Sort of like a variation in air pressure or temperature." Twilight said.

Rainbow Dash's ear's quirked. "Now that you mention it," She said, tearing herself away from the food. "things have been feeling a bit weird when I'm on weather duty. I thought it was just something going on with my ears."

"All of my animals have been agitated by something for a while now." Fluttershy said.

A look of concern appeared on everyone's faces. "Now that can't all just be one big coincidence can it Twilight?" Applejack asked.

"It really does seem a bit strange." Twilight said, putting a hoof to her chin. "The elements might be able to pick up on any magical fluctuations. I hope this doesn't bode any ill omen."

Everyone at the table turned at once and incredulously glared at Twilight.

"Okay, we need to get a hold of Princess Celestia and Luna. Spike! Drop what you're doing figuratively, not literally, and get ready to write a letter." Twilight said.

"Wait! I've just got to get the tartlets from the oven! I've been practicing my baking all week, at least have dessert!" Spike said.

"Yeah Twilight, we can still have tartlets, right?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Oh alright." Twilight said. "Bring them in and then get ready for a letter."

"Great!" Spike said. "Let me just grab them and I'll be ready to write in a minute!"

After a bit of a ruckus, Spike brought everything with him in his claws. Quill, paper, and a tray of desserts that otherwise would have been burned for anyone except for a dragon.

"Alright, who's ready for dess- BURP!" Spike said until he belched out green flames, producing a scroll.

Twilight grabbed it with her magic and inspected the message. "Well, that was unexpected." She said. The alicorn turned the scroll around examined the seal. "This scroll has the joint seal of both princesses. I rarely receive these types of messages."

Twilight opened the scroll, scanned over the message, and quickly began to read aloud. "Dear Twilight, I apologize for the sudden letter, but it would seem that my sister and I must call upon your friends once more. As it stands, Princess Luna and I have not been able to adequately address the developing situation directly. We are currently indisposed and ask for your help."

Kain had already begun to key in on their words. _Something isn't right. But I should hold my tongue until I'm certain._ He thought.

"Since you already have the Elements of Harmony, I would like to ask you and the bearers to go to the Castle of the Two Sisters and investigate the elements there. There are notes in the library of the castle that we made when we studied their power. In the past, we sought to better understand them after we used them to defeat Discord. From time to time, the elements reacted to the changing magical climate of Equestria. We've no doubt they are reflecting some sort of disturbance."

"So, it wasn't just us." Twilight said. "There really is something strange going on." She continued reading.

"Princess Luna has also asked that Kain accompany you in this journey. She believes that you may be facing some trouble while en route as you'll be going through the Everfree Forest. Take care, Princess Celestia and Luna."

Twilight put down the scroll.

"Do you often receive such requests so close to dusk?" Kain asked.

"Usually, if it's something particularly important, Princess Celestia will send letters at any time of the day." Twilight said. "Otherwise, she usually sends me letters at the start of the day."

"Are you kidding me?" Rainbow Dash said. "Princess Luna even asked Kain to come along? You know this is big deal."

"And it did have the seal of both sisters." Rarity said. "You yourself said how that does not happen often."

"Well it looks like we're heading out again girls!" she said.

"Um, can't it wait until morning?" Fluttershy asked.

The ponies at the table turned to look at her with an inquisitive look.

"Oh, alright then." Fluttershy replied, reluctantly.

/

The sun was still beginning to set when the group began to make their way towards the Everfree, and further yet, the ancient Castle of the Two Sisters. Each of the bearers was adorned by their respective elements, and Kain had once again donned his dragoon armor.

Twilight had her saddlebags packed with books, and strode in front of the group to address them. "Alright everypony, let's get going and… what is that?" she asked, looking at Rainbow Dash, who was adjusting a sword sheathed at her side.

It was a blade that she had earned for her bravery after fighting off an attempt against Twilight's life by Queen Chrysalis. Though it was meant more as a ceremonial gift, Rainbow took it to heart. The blade, Canterburn, was now strapped to the pegasus.

"What?" Rainbow asked. "It's like Princess Luna said, we need to be ready for trouble! Besides, Kain will agree, I'm pretty good in a fight and bringing my sword won't be such a bad idea, right?"

"Rainbow Dash is correct." Kain said. "We don't know what we may encounter, and it's better to over prepare, even if we are only making a short trek."

After giving Rainbow's weapon a skeptical glance, Twilight spoke. "Alright, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. We can always see if we can deal with obstacles peacefully."

"Let us hope for that to be the case." Kain said. "Seeking out the ancient castle is our main priority, not battle."

Sunset had just come to a close by the time the group finally embarked from Sweet Apple Acres. The farm was a short distance from the fabled forest. It wasn't exactly on the doorstep of the Apple residence, but the family always kept a close eye on the horizon. The sky held a pink tinge of minuscule rays of sunlight over the horizon.

"So, what is it that you think we'll find at the Castle of the Two Sisters Twilight?" Rarity asked.

"Well, Celestia believes that the elements are connected to the overall magical climate of Equestria in some way; my guess is that there may be some old research notes she made to see if we can discern an answer as to why they're behaving differently or why they're responding to the ambient changes in Equestria." Twilight said.

"That doesn't sound good, any way ya slice it." Applejack said. "Cuz the elements are always the thing that saves the day, but now yer tellin us that something strange is going on and the elements are actin differently?"

"I wouldn't go as far as to say something bad is happening Applejack." Twilight said.

"Ah hope yer right." Applejack said.

There was an almost unnatural serenity as the group journeyed to the castle. Going near a place apparently fraught with danger, the Everfree, would almost leave even the most experienced traveler feeling apprehensive. There were the occasional sounds of wildlife emanating from the swathes of plant life, but it was as if those seven ponies were the only souls in the woods at that moment.

"Do you remember when we first came through here?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yeah, I remember," Rainbow Dash said, "there was all that dangerous stuff we encountered just so we could face Nightmare Moon."

"Manticore's, illusions, and a faulty bridge. It all seems so calm now." Rarity said.

"Sometimes, it really makes you wonder about where you are in life, and where you're going next." Twilight said. "It's as if all you've seen before only pales in comparison to what lies around the corner."

"There are always more trials, it seems." Kain said. "Life has a way of showing you you're never finished."

The group pressed on in the unorthodox ease of the trip. As the castle loomed into view it appeared as if there was even less cause for apprehension. Once inside, the ponies moved about the ruined keep to see if there was any sign that could lead to answers regarding the elements.

"There certainly are a lot of books in the Princesses' collection, but they all seem to be literature rather than scholarly," Twilight said, while moving through the books at a quick place only a magically gifted librarian could move at. Everyone else comparatively was moving at a much slower pace making even less progress.

"Princess Celestia had said before that she conducted research into the elements in the past, but it doesn't look like this is the place to find any such thing. Wait, there's something here!" Twilight said. She then reached out with her magic and an audible click sounded.

Out of the base of the floor a dais emerged. It had six platforms, a central one with a book on it and five empty ones that orbited it.

"Isn't that the do-hickey that held the Elements of Harmony?" Pinkie Pie asked while hopping around the apparatus.

"Not exactly," Twilight said, "That one was closer toward the throne room. We're in the library of the castle. This one must be where the Princesses studied the elements when they first received them. Though, it's odd that there's a space here for the Element of Magic if it weren't for the book."

Twilight made her way over to the book and began reading it.

"That one wasn't discovered until we confronted Nightmare Moon, and you were chosen as its bearer." Rarity said. "What does the book say Twilight?"

"This is weird, it's a list of hypothesis that the Princesses' made about the Elements of Harmony. They sensed a gap in the magic as well. "Girls, I need the elements!" Twilight said.

Each one of the bearers surrendered their necklace to Twilight. She then placed them on the stands, including her own crown.

"Well, now what?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Should that have done something?"

A voice then emanated from the depths of the castle.

"You who bear the Elements of Harmony," the feminine voice was strong and comforting. "Bring them here and you will have answers to your questions."

"Uhh, who was that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Anypony recognize that voice?" Applejack asked?

Each member of the party shook their head.

"Can it be trusted?" Kain asked.

"That voice doesn't sound like anypony I know." Twilight said.

"It's the only clue we have right now Twilight." Rarity said.

The sound of stone grinding against stone was heard and the group turned to the origin of the disturbance. Seemingly out of no specific portion of the wall an arched tunnel made itself visible.

"Our only lead…" Twilight said.


	2. The Elements Shed Their Light

The Elements Shed Their Light

Clopping hooves upon stone floor sounded as the group made their way down the passage.

"We still don't know who this is, or if this is a trap." Applejack said. "Are ya sure this is such a good idea Twilight?"

The voice spoke again to the party, "Do not worry. I do not carry any ill intent; I only wish to aid you. I am the Tree of Harmony, and I have a primeval connection with the very elements you bear."

"How exactly does a tree up and speak?" Applejack whispered to the others.

"I have been observing the world, feeling the flow of magic through my roots. Now it seems that its protectors must be moved into action." The voice spoke.

The party continued further down the corridor and began to see an aqua glow being cast from the exit of the tunnel.

And with the glow, the voice became much clearer. "It is normally not within my domain to interfere directly with the lives of those in this world, but circumstances have left me with little choice."

"What do you mean by that?" Twilight asked. "What have you been responsible for?"

"The Elements of Harmony and I have always allowed a means for ponies, such as yourselves, to help the world." The voice spoke. "Throughout history, there have been tumultuous times, but there were always those who have risen up to either change or protect the world of Equus. I was always there to render subtle aid to those who rose to the challenge."

Rarity looked towards Twilight, and then back at the direction of the light. "So why is it that you're speaking with us now? If you don't mind my asking."

"A day has come that I cannot simply direct others in the right direction and leave things to fate." The voice said.

The group exited the passage to see a grand chamber containing a crystalline tree with a glow that

"There is something on the horizon that neither I nor your Princesses can quite see clearly, but it is of the greatest importance that we are ready for what is to come." The tree said.

"I don't get it." Twilight said. "What do we need to get ready for and how exactly are we supposed to do that? Wouldn't the Elements of Harmony be enough?"

"Under normal circumstances, they would be, but now an innate power that has dwelled within them must be tapped into." The Tree of Harmony said.

The group encircled the luminescent tree, heeding its every word that caused the tree to pulse with light.

"You each must be gifted with powers from beyond this realm and age. As I said before, there is a great threat looming of which its power or intent I cannot yet foretell, but I must not allow the denizens of this world meet it unprepared. "The Tree of Harmony said.

Everyone looked puzzled as to what the tree meant. They already had the Elements of Harmony with them.

"The gifts I am about to bestow upon you are meant to meet conflict, directly if necessary. And while I know you are a peaceful people, you must understand that even in matters of aggression, you still have the choice as how to use these gifts."

The elements then began to glow and detach themselves from their bearers. Each stone moved toward the tree, only the slight hum of their magic could be heard until the tree spoke.

"This world will need heroes, powerful ones to defend it. I only hope that this gift will be enough."

The Elements of Harmony then intensified in luminescence. Streams of light emitted from each stone in and around each magical crystal. The light congregated into a huge column that spanned from the ground to the top of the chamber. Light then scattered every which way about the room.

Rays of light arced about the room. Some these rays pass through the chests of the element bearers, and each one of them began to glow gently.

As Applejack's glow intensified until there was an all-encompassing light around her. When it calmed, it was revealed that she was wearing chain armor around her form and a helmet with mail atop her head. At her side was a double bladed ax and a shield at her other.

"Within the elements, a warrior's spirit. One that places all of their strength into battle. Their forwardness stems from a clear and open intent. The Light of Bravery, Fighter." The Tree of Harmony said.

The glow then intensified around Rainbow Dash. It left her wearing sleek pieces of red armor, including a shield at her side as well.

"Fierce and quick to show their prowess. They meet conflict with all their skills head on. The Light of Attrition, Raptor."

Fluttershy was left in a teal garb that nearly encompassed her whole form. The garbs were accented with wool. Atop her head was a wool cap with small horns atop it, and at her side was a coiled whip.

"Soothers of wild beasts and magical monsters. They have the purest understanding of life and ally themselves with nature. The Light of Nature, Beastmaster."

Twilight had brown and olive formal clothing with a pair of bifocals resting on her muzzle. The suit had a white shirt that flamboyantly protruded from a vest. At her side was a glowing tome held fast by a belt.

"Beyond the study of magic of a normal mage, they seek to comprehend the world around them and to enlighten those they know. The Light of Knowledge, Scholar."

Rarity wore elegant white robes with a red triangle pattern on the trim.

"Mages that seek to aid life where there is pain. They understand that all who live must die someday, but preserve life where they can. The Light of Tenderness, White Mage."

Pinkie Pie had a blue, military uniform with folded cuffs and a naval looking hat, both with gold trim.

"Those who have loud personalities, which demonstrate their feelings through their explosive implements. Sometimes it is best to be loud about intentions when all is quiet. The motivation where there is apathy. The Light of the Party, Engineer Cannoneer Confectioneer.

Each of the bearers' hooves hit the floor when the light dimmed and released them.

"These are the gifts I bestow upon Equestria, sprirts of old, Warriors of Light that protect the balance of the world." The Tree of Harmony said.

"I can feel the energy…" Twilight said.

"Ah feel a whole lot stronger now." Applejack said.

"It feels warm." Rainbow Dash said, with a hoof to her chest.

"Umm." Fluttershy said. "What about Kain?"

"He is from one such realm where your new powers are drawn from." The Tree of Harmony said. "Dragoons are proud and noble knights that exemplify the Light of Dragons. He will aid you as he has always done."

The elements converged upon the tree and rested upon the various limbs of the arcane tree with the Element of Magic flowing towards the center, entering a compartment. Each of the elements began to glow at their respective points.

"I ask you now, bearers of the elements, warriors of light, to seek out the eidolons of the elements." The Tree of Harmony said. "They are spiritual aspects of not only the Elements of Harmony, such as laughter, kindness, or loyalty; they are also the embodiment of the elements of earth, water, wind, fire, cold, storm, light, and dark."

Everyone gave a confused look towards one another.

"So, who are they?" Applejack asked.

"That is not clear. As with the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, the spirits of the eidolons move with the flow of time. I cannot ascertain who they are specifically." The Tree of Harmony said. "I can only offer you what I know, in that these eidolons are more closely associated with the worldly elements. Search for those who bear the strongest connection to said elements. Each one of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony can sense the eidolon in some way. You'll be drawn towards their presence."

"So that's it then?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Find these important someponies and bring them here?"

"As I said before." The Tree of Harmony said. "I cannot see beyond the horizon as to what is coming, but I do not expect those forces to remain idle. Their intentions will be made known with time. For now, focus on the task before you."

The glowing motes of light before them spun about the room.

"I wish that I could help you further, but I must use much of my remaining strength to lend the power of the elements to others across Equestria." The Tree of Harmony said.

A searing light bored a hole out of the chamber, filling the room with natural light. The tree and the floor round it began to glow brightly, and the light surged out into the world.

"Believe in your strengths and you will succeed." Said the Tree of Harmony as its volume diminished.

/

The party departed the cave.

"Our first order of business is getting home and informing the princess of the situation." Twilight said.

"So uh," Applejack began. "Anypony feeling like there's some big element eidolon around them? Because apart from this here armor, nothing really looks all that different to me."

"Gotta agree with AJ." Rainbow Dash said. "This new armor is pretty awesome! I mean I was awesome before, but now I even look more awesome!"

"I believe Applejack was referring to finding the eidolons dear." Rarity said.

"Oh, right." Rainbow Dash said. "Well, I haven't felt anything different like that either."

"That's exactly the point." Twilight said. "We don't seem to have a general idea of where to go, but I'm pretty sure we need to research a list of places back at the library."

"I think that's a good idea." Fluttershy said. "The Everfree still gives me the chills. I don't want to run into any trouble if we don't have to."

"Relax!" Rainbow Dash said. "The elements gave us powers of 'Warriors of Light'! I think we'll be ready for anything the Everfree can throw at us now!"

"Ah don't think there's too much to be worried about Fluttershy." Applejack said. "Like the Tree of Harmony said, were kinda like the type of warrior Kain is so that's gotta count for something."

"My word, does that mean were nearly as powerful as a dragoon is?" Rarity asked.

"I cannot say for certain what strengths the Warriors of Light you possess." Kain said. "I only recognize two professions, fighter and white mage. What's more, one can't simply compare them to a dragoon such as myself, there are indeed invaluable members to a party in their own right."

The ground began to tremble, and soon the sound of a stampede was heard coming from the distance.

"What's that?" Twilight asked.

As the sounds grew louder, the group noticed a group of small bipedal creatures wearing floppy hats, two of which were riding a single cragodile.

"What are those?" Applejack asked.

"Goblins." Kain said.

"What do they want?" Twilight asked. "I've never seen anything like them before Kain."

"They sort of look like small humans Kain." Rarity said.

The small creatures drew knives and daggers.

"Wait!" Twilight said, jumping in front of the group. "We don't have to fight!"

The opposing group grinded to a halt. Their leader, the goblin in front and atop the cragodile, scratched his own head and spoke in a high pitched, scratchy voice. "Of course we do! Our boss told us to stop important ponies in the forest!"

"Who's your boss?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Oh, we're not gonna say." The goblin leader said. "Besides, we'll stop you now before it even matters!"

Nearly twenty goblins charged the group, with blades raised high as they screamed.

"I guess we've no choice then." Kain said, while he readied his weapon.

"Well alright then." Applejack said. "Guess we'll have to kick some flank!"

Not a moment later was she swarmed by five goblins before she could even brandish her axe.

Rainbow Dash then flew down, with her own blade drawn to help the fledgling fighter. Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie had produced her party cannon from seemingly nowhere and began firing into the mob.

Flashes of light exploded where the unknown munitions had landed, dazing a few of the goblins.

"Wow!" Pinkie Pie said. "My cannon really packs a punch now!"

Just then, even more goblins besieged the group from the greater mob. Twilight had put up a barrier to keep them away, but the lead goblin commanded the cragodile to ram the force field.

"It's not going to hold forever!" Twilight said, looking back at her friends who were already locked in combat.

"I don't even know what I'm supposed to do!" Fluttershy exclaimed from the background. "Am I supposed to hit them with my whip? I don't want to hurt them."

"Then try to disarm them!" Kain said, giving a wide swing with his spear to trip the crowd of goblins before him.

"Yeah, anything will help!" Rainbow Dash said as she pried off a goblin from Applejack and flung it yards away.

"And what is it I'm supposed to do?" Rarity asked incredulously. "You heard the tree, I can heal wounds, but what can I do to prevent them?"

"I'm sorry Rarity," Kain said, while punching a goblin that had gotten too close. "I'm not skilled in the ways of white magic. I know this isn't the time for reflection, but try to concentrate on using healing magic."

The dragoon jumped into the air and landed atop a goblin. "Perhaps something may come of it." Kain said.

"Concentrate." Twilight said to herself. "Right!" She then floated her scholar tome to her face and looked it over. "Strange, most of its pages are blank. There's only a few mentioning of basic offensive elemental applications and the phrase, 'Knowledge is Power'."

She then closed the book and took note of its cover titled, "Knowledge".

"Really?" Twilight said, exasperated.

She then channeled her magic around the book and it became encrusted in ice. More than that, it let off a whitish blue aura. Twilight then swung the book at the last goblin on top of Applejack, instantly freezing it.

"I've hear of applying your studies, but this is ridiculous!" Twilight said.

Applejack was finally able to get to her hooves and brandish her axe for the first time, just as Twilight's barrier spell shattered from the force of the goblin mob. Five more goblins charged Applejack, but with a wide swing of her axe, the attackers' movement was halted as they jumped back to avoid the weapon.

Rainbow Dash then flew down and picked up one of the goblins and tossed it before it had a chance to react. Applejack took note of this opportunity and bucked the creature far into the oblivion of the Everfree.

Pinkie Pie then fired her cannon at the remaining goblins and scattered them with a dead on hit.

With their numbers dwindling, the dozen goblins and cragodile made one more charge. Kain styed on the ground and joined Applejack to form a front line to protect the others. Rainbow Dash continued to harass the crown from using her speed and altitude. Blades swung in vain as they tried to reach her, only for them to be smacked by an electrified book.

The goblins twitched as they were electrocuted, but still others remained in the fight.

Each of the ground combatants held off the regular goblins, but even Kain and Applejack gave ground for the rocky reptile that charged. It blew past the group and headed straight for Rarity and Fluttershy. The former braced herself with little time to react, hoping that either Rainbow Dash or Kain would be able to come crashing down from above.

To her surprise, the beast had stopped mere inches from them. The cragodile was simply standing there, with its imp rider atop it, spurring it on, but to no avail.

Rarity then looked to her side to see Fluttershy staring at the beast dead on, but it was no ordinary "stare" from her pegasus friend. Green magic was emanating from Fluttershy's eyes; she wore neither a scowl nor smile, and the cragodile also had a green glow in its eyes.

Then, in an instant, the creature turned around and charged at the imps that had marched alongside it initially. It completely ignored the ponies nearby and began snapping at the goblins, to which they fled in a panic.

All of the party looked on at the spectacle, but then their attention returned to Fluttershy, who had just broken from her trance and whose eyes had returned to normal.

"Wow Flutters," Rainbow Dash said. "I never thought you could do that. I mean, you could calm animals before, but that…"

"Its just another example of the powers the Tree of Harmony has given us." Twilight said.

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash said. "I feel like I've got the strength to win against AJ in a hoof wrestling contest now! Say AJ, wanna give it a go?"

"That's a mighty fine challenge there," Applejack said "but Ah ain't feeling too well at the moment." She moved slowly toward the rest of the group with a foreleg clutching her barrel. There was distinct trickle of blood lined from her armor that shined along with the silvery chainmail. A few links had been broken and a visible piercing of her orange coat could be seen.

"Applejack! You're hurt!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"It ain't too bad." Applejack said. "A few days' rest, and Ah'll be as good as new."

Kain turned to Rarity. "Perhaps now would be a good time to try to use healing magic, Rarity." He said.

The white mage turned to her earthpony friend and winced, despite not actually being the one injured.

"Dear, I haven't a clue about where to begin. This isn't something I've ever learned to fix. You're not some sort of fabric I can simply stitch back together…." Rarity said, and then her eyes began to glow as she saw the wound and a light blue magic began to emanate from her horn.

At Applejack's side, a thin light blue object manifested.

"Um, you know she's not a dress right?" Pinkie Pie said just before the magical needle pierced the fighter's wound.

Applejack winced, expecting pain, but then opened her eyes to see that behind the needle's path, a blue glow was left and the wound began to close, even the clothing on her began to repair itself.

"Wow, that was amazing Rarity!" Twilight said. "I've seen and used healing magic before, but I've never seen something quite like that!"

"How are you feeling?" Fluttershy asked.

"Well shucks," Applejsack said. "It's like Ah never got hurt in the first place."

"Even ponies healed by unicorn magic speak of pain and stiffness afterwards." Twilight said.

"Goodness, I can't believe I just did that!" Rarity exclaimed, her eyes returning to normal.

"I wonder what other neat things we can do with these new powers!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Something tells me that we'll have plenty more opportunities to find out." Twilight said hesitantly, but for now, let's get back home and see what our next course of action should be."

/

Once they were back at the library, the party deliberated on what they would do next. Twilight had already sent a letter to Celestia and Luna explaining what had happened with the Tree of Harmony.

Rarity and Kain had sat at one of the tables in the library to speak. Rarity looked down at her newly acquired robes. "Well I suppose this means I'm along of the adventure now, doesn't it?" She asked.

"I know how you must feel about this Rarity," Kain said. "given how you're expressed your worry about my own line of work."

"Nevertheless, it would have been very unladylike if I had flat out declined a request of another so abruptly, especially if it's by the embodiment of harmony itself." After examining the fabric more with her hooves and magic, she looked at Kain. "So, I'm a white mage? Isn't Rosa a white mage?"

Kain shifted uncomfortably. "Yes, she is." He replied. Please do not let her think to compare herself with Rosa he thought.

"How could somepony dedicate themselves to becoming a healer and then go off on dangerous quests?" Rarity asked.

"She wanted to help Cecil in any way she could have when he first joined the Dark Knights. When things took a turn for the worse in our world, she was among the first to render aid to our cause." Kain said

"If the Elements of Harmony thought I should help as a white mage, then I shall at least try to hold myself to that title." Rarity said.

"You were said to have the light of tenderness." Kain said.

"But really, how does a seamstress and designer such as myself find herself stitching wounds instead of wardrobes?" Rarity said.

"Isn't it obvious Rarity?" Kain asked. "Your generosity and willingness to help others is just as strong as any white mage I've known. You may not have had the means before, but now you've been given the chance to help in ways you only dreamed of."

Rarity looked at Kain with a smile.

"Didn't you say before how much you lamented not appearing to be as helpful as the others on your adventures?" Kain asked.

"Indeed I did." Rarity said. "I suppose its quite funny when it comes to the saying, 'Be careful what you wish for…' "

"Well, you did want to make sure I was safe when I was on a mission." Kain said. "Now we'll be at each other's sides."

Rarity leaned at Kain's side and nuzzled him.

"See what I mean? The light of tenderness does reside within you." Kain said.

The two of them took the moment to relax in that short time. It was brief calm no doubt before a long series of trying events to come.


	3. Finding the Path

Finding the Path

"This new armor is cool looking and all, but I wonder what else I can do." Rainbow Dash said. "I felt stronger in that fight earlier, but I haven't been able to do anything like Rarity's or Fluttershy's magic.

"Well, it looks to me sugarcube, that all yer pretty much doin is swingin that sword of yers around how like Ah am with mah ax." Applejack said.

Aside from Kain and Rarity, the group had made their way to the main room of the library. Rainbow Dash looked over her friends, wondering what kinds of powers they'd received.

"AJ and I are wearing armor, so I guess it means we'll be doing the dangerous fighting. Oh, and Kain too." Rainbow Dash said. " It's just weird that I didn't get anything like Kain's ability to jump in the air and crash down."

"Ya can already fly." Applejack said, deadpanning.

"Oh, right. I mean, there's gotta be something different you feel, right AJ?" Rainbow dash asked.

"Apart from this here armor," Applejack said. "Ah don't feel all that much different."

"Well, the tree did call you a fighter, so maybe it means you can fight…better now?" Rainbow Dash said, offering ideas.

"Ya mean like with mah ax?" Applejack said. "Hadn't really thought about it, but I really never used one for fightin, only the chores around the farm."

Applejack brandished her weapon and gave it a look over. "It actually felt kinda natural using it. What about you Rainbow Dash? Ever swing a sword before?"

Rainbow Dash was taken aback. "Well I did practice a few times when I was given Canterburn."

"So ya _don't_ know how to use a sword?" Applejack said.

"Well, no." Rainbow Dash said, looking at her sheathed sword. "But hey, how about we spar a bit and see if we've really got new skills?"

"I'd rather not have you tear my library apart." Twilight said. "We've got more important things to worry about."

"Ugh, I really missed out on everything, didn't I?" Spike said, entering the room.

"You do bring up an interesting point though Rainbow." Twilight said. "We really don't know how much of an affect the tree had on us. But what we should do is focus on what we can do right now. Spike, I'm going to need to research all the important points of leyline energies."

"I was _about_ to put those books that you'd been looking over the past few days." Spike said. "But they're still on the table."

"Excellent." Twilight said. "From here we should be able to discern any areas that have large quantities of magic. I'm sure these, what were they called again?"

"Eidolons." Kain said, returning to the group with Rarity. "It was a word I have not heard for a long time." He took off his helmet and put it at the corner of the table.

"I recall that in my world, they were great spirits and beasts who resided in a hidden realm." Kain said. "A comrade of mine had the power to make pacts with them and summon them with magic."

"That doesn't sound like what we're looking for." Twilight said. "At least the summoning part. The only studies we have of invisible realms are like the fey realm where those tiny breezies live."

"Indeed." Kain said. "Of the gifts the tree bestowed, none were of the powers of a summoner. These eidolons sound like powerful allies however, and they are said to have affiliations with elements of sorts."

"Kain, is there anything else you can tell us about eidolons?" Twilight asked.

"I'm afraid not, the summoner I knew, Rydia, did not willingly speak with me often." Kain said.

"Oh? Why not?" Twilight asked.

"It's a complicated matter for another time." Kain said.

"Was it because of your dark self?" Rarity asked.

"No, it was more of an accident, but something I'm still regretful of." Kain said.

Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were in the main central room of the library planning out what they were going to do next. The hour was late, so Twilight had sent Spike to bed.

"So what are we supposed to do Twilight?" Applejack asked.

"I really don't know Applejack." Twilight replied, looking through at the latest books she'd cracked open.

"It'd be really nice if we got more than a message to 'find some special ponies' out there." Applejack said. "Somethin useful, like a map."

"As it was, it looked like the tree of harmony used a great deal of energy to help us." Twilight said. "It's up to us now to finish what's been placed in our hooves."

"Didn't the tree say that the eidolons would be closely related the elements of?" Fluttershy asked timidly. "I mean, wouldn't they be like our elements?"

"What kind of elements did it mean anyway?" Rainbow Dash asked. "All I remember it saying was stuff like fire, wind, and some others. Not loyalty or kindness."

"You're right, Rainbow." Twilight said. She moved over to a chalk board that had notes written and began to write more upon the unused section. "Let's see, we've got fire, water, wind, and earth. The classical elements in magic." She used her magic to tint the chalk differently as she began to write down the elements.

"But the tree also mentioned light, shadow, ice, and storm." Twilight said, continuing her notes and adding doodled symbols for each element.

"Water?" Applejack asked. "Does that mean we have to search the ocean as well as every other nook and cranny in Equestria?"

"What about air?" Rainbow Dash asked. "That's gotta mean the eidolon is a pegasus right?"

"There are other creatures in the air Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy said.

"The tree did say to seek out individuals rather than ponies." Twilight said.

"Ooh! So maybe the eidolon is a griffon, or a parasprite, or a dragon!" Pinkie Pie said.

"But wouldn't a dragon be better known for all that fire breathin they do?" Applejack asked. "Y'know, like the one Fluttershy asked to leave?"

There was a break in movement from everything around Rainbow Dash. She'd seen things slow down around her when she was filled with adrenaline for a race, but this felt different. It felt like she had a flashback of some sort, and she'd been hit with one of Twilight's spells.

"Whoa…" Rainbow Dash said.

"What is it Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked.

"That's funny." Rainbow Dash said. "Everything felt weird all of a sudden."

Twilight's ears perked and she lifted into the air and down in front of Rainbow Dash. "What _kind_ of weird?" she asked.

"I dunno, like somepony behind me let out some thunderbolt behind me." Rainbow Dash said. "Right at the time you all started talking about dragons."

"Can we please not mention them anymore?" Fluttershy asked. "I still can't forget about the one that blew all of the smoke near Ponyville."

Another pulse.

Rainbow Dash's head jerked up, but no one else seemed to sense the energy. "Please tell me you felt that, right?" she asked.

"Rainbow Dash." Twilight said. "I want you to concentrate again on that dragon."

"Okay." Rainbow Dash said.

/

She recalled the event when she and the others first went up to the mountains near Ponyville to deal with the dragon. Flashbacks of each of the mare's attempts to "persuade" the dragon unfolded. As Rainbow Dash relived her own direct, but unsuccessful approach, she focused on the dragon.

The scenery around faded into blackness; both she and the dragon retracted from the stances they held and Rainbow Dash found herself flying idly as she stared at the great beast, and it looked at her.

The dragon began to glow with a red aura and soon the both of them were above the cave in which the confrontation had taken place. Rainbow Dash was puzzled at first, but then noted the activity occurring below.

She heard Fluttershy scolding the dragon and saw herself and the others in the background. Then the copy of the dragon below lifted into the air between Rainbow Dash and the glowing dragon in front of her.

The dragon from the flashback took flight and headed west, and a stream of smoke followed in its wake. Rainbow Dash looked at dragon that was floating in the air with her, the one that part of this crazy dream she was having.

The dragon flew over a swamp-like area with fire erupting form the distance. It then landed in a mountainous area nearby.

"Wait a second, are you like the eidolon of fire?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Rainbow Dash." A voice pierced her mind. "Are you okay?" it sounded loud, but muffled. It was Twilight.

Rainbow Dash then realized her friends were calling out to her from the waking world. "Wait! I didn't get your name!" she cried out just before finding herself back in the library with everypony else.

/

"Are you okay?" Twilight asked.

"You were just standing there, we were getting worried."Fluttershy said.

"Whatever did happen to you Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked

"I think I know where to find the first eidolon." Rainbow Dash said. "That dragon is probably the 'somepony' we need to find, and he just showed me the way!" She buffed a hoof against her chest. "Well, I guess that takes care of one eidolon, I'll just fly out there and be done-"

"Now just hold on there girl." Applejack said. "Do ya even know where this dragon is?"

"Uh, not really. " Rainbow Dash said. "All I saw was the dragon flying away from me at the cave where we met him. He kept going over some area that looked like it was on fire, but it wasn't a volcano, it was on the ground"

"Huh, that sounds like the swamps near where I sell to the Cajun ponies." Applejack said. "There's a mountain area near there. Ah reckon that the dragon is probably somewhere there."

"It doesn't sound like a good idea to be headed there all by yourself Rainbow Dash." Rarity said.

"So why don't we instead," Twilight said. "try to form a plan." Besides, I don't think it would be wise for all of us to head out to one location, we need to be searching for the other eidolons." She moved over to a map on the table. "Something tells me that we don't have the luxury of time."

"But Twilight." Fluttershy said. "You've just stopped Rainbow Dash from leaving, does that mean we're going to go our own ways?"

"Yes and no." Twilight said. "There's enough of us to divide our efforts into two groups of four and three."

"We've always gone on these adventures together." Fluttershy

Twilight put a foreleg on her friend. "Even if we aren't together, our friendship still means something. Even a few of us can help each other."

She turned to the others. "Besides, we don't have the elements of harmony with us anymore, so it's not like all six bearers _have_ to be together."

Fluttershy remained apprehensive for a moment before regaining her composure.

"The point is, we've been through a lot together, but I think that the truest test of our friendship will be how we overcome this journey separately." Twilight said.

"Ah don't know Twilight," Applejack said. "Ah can think of a few times we spent in mazes or caves…"

Like a burst of energy from a source unknown, Applejack felt a connection to her past. Not a memory of when she was a filly, but a recent memory she had with her friends.

/

Months ago, she'd set out yet again for another adventure that tore her from her life on the farm, but it wasn't something that personally bothered her. No, it was the fact that her sister had been foalknapped by Chrysalis. She trusted her friends; at least she thought she did until they had a fight in the abandoned diamond dog mines.

Somehow, they'd gone from a group of best friends to a bickering group of ponies divided, each one feeling unappreciated by the others. But they managed to reconcile, something Applejack had no doubt that they'd always be able to do in order to overcome any problem.

But something just wouldn't let Applejack forget the _mines_ themselves. Like the earth beneath her hooves at the farm, somehow being in those mines, even in a memory, gave Applejack that same nagging feeling that something was up.

/

"Twilight!" Applejack said, snapping from her trance. "Ah think that there's one of them eidolons in those old diamond dog mines we went to before."

"Really?" Twilight asked. "I didn't expect anypony to get a magical message so soon after Rainbow Dash had directed us to an eidolon."

She turned from Applejack to the others. "Well, I guess that settles it then, we _need_ to split up now."

It had already been well into the night by the time everything had been revealed. Twilight had sent Spike to bed during Applejack's trance. He had begun to yawn and she wasn't going to have a drowsy assistant.

"We need a reliable set of teams. "Twilight said. "One to search for the dragon and another to go to the abandoned mines to find whoever it is Applejack connected with."

Kain stood up. "I shall accompany Rainbow Dash. This matter involves dragons and I believe that I can be of use."

"I'm coming with you as well, Kain." Rarity said. "This doesn't seem like it will be a safe journey. Though, I've only begun to practice using these healing powers, I would like to be there to make sure anypony that comes with us might be safe."

Twilight looked at the two volunteers. They'd only known each other for a few moons and already she could see how readily Rarity wished to help Kain.

"That's all fine and well, but what am Ah supposed to do?" Applejack asked. "What if somepony gets hurt in mah group, which nopony has yet to volunteer for?"

Twilight was taken aback. "Wait a second! I know we all just got these new powers, but don't count me out just yet, or have you forgotten about the time I healed your leg with the magic I studied?"

Twilight wondered about the new powers the tree had given them. Certainly, using books as a battle implement had been one shocking boon for Twilight, but she wondered about the amount of "assistance" they'd received on this quest.

"Girls, I now we've been given gifts, but I don't think we should forget about what we could do before all of this began."

"I think I'll join you and Applejack, Twilight." Fluttershy said. "I don't think I want to go anywhere near any dragons."

"But Fluttershy!" Pinkie Pie said. "You were the one who talked to the dragon got him to leave!"

"She." Fluttershy said. "The dragon we met was a dragoness."

"But why not?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I just don't think I can talk to her again, after embarrassing her when I asked her to leave."

Twilight hadn't considered it that way. Then again, a huge dragon being verbally forced out of its home would probably have left it feeling that way. Especially if other dragons asked what happened.

"Okay Fluttershy." Twilight said. "You can come with us." She turned to Pinkie. "So who are your coming with?"

Pinkie Pie put a hoof to her chin and gave the question only a brief thought. "I'm gonna go with Dashie!" she said. "Somepony's got to bring a cake to offer the dragon!"

"Okay Pinkie." Twilight said, restraining a chuckle. As strange as Pinkie's methods were, she knew that her friend always offered a good idea, in her own bizarre ways.

"We'll need to leave tomorrow if we're going to make good time on finding the eidolons." Twilight said.

"Ah'll get the wagon we used in the Unicorn Mountains." Applejack said. "Never thought we'd be usin it again so soon."

"And I'll get the food!" Pinkie Pie said, springing forward. "I've made loads of pre-made, prepare, Pinkie Pie rations! We'll be set for some long adventures all over Equestria now!"

"Darling, please tell me that not every single one of your 'rations' Is some confectionery treat?" Rarity asked.

"Don't ya worry sugarcube, "Applejack said. "Ah'll bring some food from the farm for us as well." She glanced at the armor on her foreleg. "Still, it's gonna be strange getting home lookin like this and tellin the family that Ah'm headin off to save Equestria again."

"I know right?" Rainbow Dash said. "Now we get to look awesome while doing it!"

"If that's everything, then I suggest we get to preparing what we need." Twilight said.

And with that, everypony departed the library.

/

With only a few hours left before daybreak, she set to the task of preparing for the trip. Maps, books on eldritch magic, they all went into her saddlebags, ready should she ever need them.

This time, it felt so different, all the previous times she'd brought her "essential" supplies, she'd felt like she was going on a field trip. Albeit somewhat perilous field trips, but this time it felt different. As if there was much more at stake.

Back in the chamber with the Tree of harmony, she recalled the tree's words, telling her she'd received the "light of knowledge" give her the powers of the "scholar", which seemed silly a long with the robes she wore and hadn't removed, at least until she noticed the power in her tomes.

"Light of knowledge." Twilight spoke to herself as she continued to prepare things for the morning.


	4. Branching Paths

Branching Paths

It never seemed to surprise Twilight how quickly everypony could be ready to head out on an adventure. Applejack had already brought her wagon with supplies since the break of dawn. Apparently, the area Rainbow Dash's group was headed towards was filled with hazards that were better dealt with if they weren't all on hoof.

"Sure hope it can take the heat." Applejack said, giving a look over her wagon.

"I'm sure it'll be just fine." Twilight said.

"Anyways, we should be okay movin on hoof like we did the first time we went to those mines, just a few saddlebags of supplies." Applejack said. She looked over to Rarity in the distanc. "Besides, Ah think Rarity would be the one needin the wagon with all the stuff she's bringin."

The two mares shared a laugh.

"So I guess that means that Fluttershy is the only pony our group is wating for." Twilight said. "Though its safe to say that she'll be a lot easier to coax into this trip since there's no dragon."

"Who's to say we won't?" Applejack asked, as she checked over the wagon. She paused, and turned back towards Twilight. "Though, it'd probably be a good idea not to let her know that."

As if on cue, Fluttershy turned the corner and made her way toward them. She was wearing the clothes that had been bestowed to them yesterday. It was funny just how the teal cloth and fleeced portions fit over Fluttershy so well.

"Just when Ah thought the girl couldn't look any more precious, she goes and gets that getup." Applejack said. "It's a real shame that a mare like her always finds herself mixed up in these sorts of events."

She looked over her own attire, fidgeting with the axe that was holstered. "Ah mean, look at us. Ceslestia forbid it, we look like we're ready for the end of the world or something. Ah've got armor and yer wearing some goofy wizard getup."

Twilight recoiled, taken back. "Hey, I'll have you know, these aren't wizard robes. The Tree of Harmony said they belong to a scholar!"

It wasn't until now that Twilight noticed that each mare so far was wearing their new clothes. There was nothing special about them, she concluded that after testing her own scholar robes by using her tomes without the robes on.

On Applejack, it made sense for her to be wearing her armor. That at least served an obvious purpose, but it was interesting that she still ended up dressed for her role.

"Well, all of my animals should be fine." Fluttershy said as she joined up with Applejack and Twilight. "The crusaders will take care of them every afternoon. That won't be problem for Applebloom, will it Applejack?"

"Sure won't be." Applejack said. "Now that she's growin up, mah sister can take on a bit more responsibility."

/

Kain looked at his armor laid out and his cloak hanging on the wall. It had only been a matter of weeks, but he was beginning to get used to not wearing it. Not that it was too heavy from the lack of use, but he just couldn't imagine himself getting involved in battle so soon.

He knew his job was to be a soldier, a dragon knight, but he wondered about the others. They weren't trained for this kind of life apart from Rainbow Dash, who was aspiring to serve in the Equestrian military.

As he began donning his armor, more thoughts came about. The Tree of Harmony had given the others abilities he'd seen in his world, the Blue Planet, and some other powers he hadn't. Mainly though, they now held magic of those who saw conflict.

Rarity was now a white mage, and the thought that was probably the most benevolent use of magic, he knew what it meant in the long term. Rarity would be putting herself into danger, and though she had seen a few battles as well, she most likely would be distraught by the horrors of war.

Kain, however had seen what destruction was. Rarity had never seen the village of Mist be burned to the ground or the all-out assault against the kingdom of Fabul. Kain gathered his gear and his saddlebags, then made his way to meet with his party.

His mind resumed its ruminations. _Certainly she has the resolve to become a healer, though she never practiced the art._ He was still concerned how it would change the mare he had come to admire.

As he approached the door of the boutique, he could already hear the other ponies inside. Kain knocked and was met by Sweetie Belle, Rarity's younger sister.

"Oh hi Kain!" the filly said. "Come on in. My sister and her friends are waiting for you!"

Grouped around a set of luggage and other supplies, Pinkie Pie and Rarity were arguing over the amount of items they'd be bringing on the journey. Rainbow Dash only hovered above, showing little interest for the argument.

"See?" Rainbow Dash said. "Kain's already here and you two still haven't stopped talking about bringing all that stuff!"

Rarity turned to her pegasus friend. "I'm sorry Rainbow Dash, but a lady needs to be properly prepared."

"You didn't bring this much stuff when we went to the Unicorn Mountains." Rainbow Dash said.

"Yes, but that trip necessitated a hasty departure, and I needed to prepare a winter wardrobe for the rest of the group."

"But what am I supposed to do Rarity?" Pinkie Pie asked. "How am I supposed to bring all the things for a 'I'm sorry we embarrassed you.' dragon-sized cake!"

As amusing as it was to let them continue on, Kain interrupted. "I think it would be best if we focused on the journey ahead of us. We'll need to make the most of our space that Applejack's wagon will allow us."

"Well, I suppose I can manage with fewer clothes." Rarity said.

"And I'll just make a smaller cake." Pinkie Pie said..

Kain had come to learn how much extravagance Rarity enjoyed in her life. She was vain about her appearance and behavior, something that Kain looked at with disdain back at his hometown of Baron. But Rarity would put aside those tendencies the moment she noted the importance of a situation.

"Well, if that's over with," Rainbow Dash said. "can we _please_ get going?"

"Certainly Rainbow Dash." Rarity said. "Sweetie Belle, now while I'm gone, you are to be on your best behavior at the Apple's farm."

"Yes, Rarity." Sweetie Belle replied.

"And since Applejack won't be there, you've going to help there wherever you can."

"Yes, Rarity."

"And if you find any strange, magical device, you are not to use it, correct?"

Sweetie Belle, a bit exasperated, complied. "Uh, yeah, definitely avoid any crazy magic."

Rarity smiled and gave her sister a hug before everyone departed from the boutique. They made their way to Twilight's library with their supplies in a smaller cart behind them.

All of it seemed different this time, like more attention was being paid to them by the townsfolk. When they left on the trip to the Unicorn Mountains a month ago, most of the Ponies didn't give a second glance to the group, Kain wondered what was do different now? 

He then remembered that day, one that changed his life forever. When two knights of Baron left on a mission to the village of Mist. Kain and his best friend, Cecil Harvey, had gone in and out of the gates so many times before, but it never failed to attract attention when they were in complete armor like they were that day.

Maybe it was the fear or respect of Baron's military, but their armor did set them apart from the townsfolk. The dragoon looked at his party. Before, he alone in his draconic armor would have sufficed, but now there was quite the colorful group of ponies heading through town. As colorful a group could get in a world of multi-hued ponies.

He could hear the murmurs of the onlookers as they stopped what they were doing to see where this group of ponies was going. It was different this time. Every citizen seemed to be intrigued or even happy to see the adventures on their way out of town. It brought a sort of reassurance to Kain.

When they met up with Applejack's party, they immediately got down to reviewing their plans.

"Alraht, ma group will head back to the old diamond dog mines to see if there's any sign of an eidolon. Rainbow Dash, you'll take yer group on the route that Ah drew on the map Ah gave ya." Applejack said.

On the map, there was a hashed line marking the path where to avoid any dangers that Applejack had written and specified. "It should keep ya a safe distance from the fire fields so ya don't have to worry about burning the wagon or yer hooves off." She looked back at the wagon, a bit concerned. "Ah'd like to show ya'll the way maself, but y'know."

"Is there anything else you can tell us about where we're going?" Kain asked.

"Well, the one thing Ah try and avoid are the chimeras, but as long as ya got those supplies Ah packed for ya, just follow them instructions and ya can distract them."Applejack said. Twilight had flown onto the wagon to double check the supplies Applejack had packed, displaying a inquisitive face as she levitated the items.

"But as far as the other critters go, Ah never really stuck around that long to see what else lives in those fire fields."

"You've already given us a great deal more information than we started with." Kain said.

"Ah only wish Ah could do more." Applejack said.

Rarity came up to Applejack and put a hoof on her withers. "Darling, you've already given us a lot of help. Plus those fire boots are something I would have never have expected to need. It's not what you give but how much you put into a gift. Trust me."

Fluttershy hugged Rainbow Dash, causing the latter to awkwardly smile. "Be safe." She said.

"Yeah, you too Flutters." Rainbow Dash replied.

"Well, this is it then." Twilight said, putting a hoof behind her head.

"Bye! See you later!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

The two groups parted ways stepping to look back at each other only once before continuing on. A group of heroes struck out on a journey to prevent a great catastrophe that had yet to be named. With the fate of the world unknown, a few ponies was gifted the blessings of light to protect the land. They had already accomplished great deeds before, but there remained an air of uneasiness within their hearts. Was there indeed something so daunting that more was being asked of them this time? For the first time in a while, a real concern over their abilities came into question. The elements had shed their light and had placed the fate of Equestria in their hooves.


	5. Honing Skills

Honing Skills

/ _Rainbow Dash_

With Kain and Pinkie Pie pulling the wagon, Rainbow Dash's party had already made some distance traveling in a day's time. Rainbow Dash was all too eager to meet their Eidolon before Applejack's group, something that had _nothing_ to do with her racing inclinations.

Rarity rode in the front of the wagon with Rainbow Dash flying above. The pegasus could see that the fiery field was still a ways away and they probably wouldn't make it there in one day. Below, their white mage was looking over the boots that Applejack had given to the group.

"There is a quality to them that speaks of the craftponyship, even for such a rugged design." Rarity said. "I wonder if it's how all of them are made or these are just the style Applejack likes."

"So why do we need these boots again?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"They're made to protect your hooves while walking in the fiery fields. Some of the ground isn't safe to trot over." Rarity said.

"Say Rarity, any chance you can make a set of boots for everypony?" Pinkie asked.

"Well, I'd love to," Rarity said. "But aside from the materials, it looks like these boots also have a magic spell paced on them; it's probably what keeps them from burning."

"Well, you don't have to worry about me." Rainbow Dash said. "I'll just stay in the air to keep my hooves safe." _Sometimes I wonder how other ponies deal with dangerous things like that all the time._

"In my travels with my old group of companions, we ran into a similar problem." Kain said.

"Not enough boots?" Rarity asked. "I can tell you that would have been quite the problem."

Kain chuckled, "No, rather it was that there were pools of acid that we came across. There were floors were so hazardous that we had to use magic to go over them."

"Oooh, like levitation magic!" Pinkie Pie said. "I love those spells, but Twilight's stopped giving me levitation rides after I kept asking too much that one day and I kept putting cupcakes in clouds."

"Wait that was you?" Rainbow Dash asked. "You know what, I'm not even surprised it was you. I just wondered how you got to all those clouds when I didn't even see a balloon all day."

"Rosa was able to use white magic on the group so that we only hovered a few feet in the air." Kain said.

"Not as cool as flying, but I guess that's pretty good if you don't have wings." Rainbow Dash said.

"Hey Rarity, do you think you can use the spell Kain was talking about?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I'm not sure." Rarity replied. "Come to think of it, I'm not sure how I go about using these 'white magic' spells."

"Didn't you use one of them to heal AJ when she got hurt?" Rainbow Dash asked. She remembered how AJ had been injured in their first battle. It looked serious, but Rarity used her new powers to fix their friend right up.

"It sort of came to me." Rarity said. "I wanted to help her, but I didn't' know how. Then, I just stitched her wound like I would have a piece of fabric."

"You needn't concern yourself with learning spells so quickly." Kain said, though he did appear nervous to Rainbow Dash. "We have a set of fire-proof boots and my own greaves have a resistance to heat as well."

 _Real smooth Kain._ Rainbow Dash thought. _Bringing up that last girl you like who was also a white mage?_ She decided to do the dragoon a favor and change the subject. "So Pinkie, what kind of things are you able to do with that cannon of yours now?" she asked.

"I haven't tried anything really Dashie!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "My party cannon packs a bigger punch, but I haven't really noticed anything. Unless you count my peanut butter pretzel cupcakes!"

Pinkie brought out a cupcake from her mane and chomped down the whole thing. "I never thought of putting the two things together! Does that count?" she asked.

"I'm not sure it does." Rainbow Dash said, while giving and perplexed look at her friend and then sighed. "Not that I've figured anything out either." Rainbow Dash said. "This gear looks really cool, but I don't think I learned anything new."

"I can spar with you if you wish." Kain said. "When we stop for the evening, we can hone your skills in armed combat."

 _Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I'm gonna learn how to fight! Wait, play it cool._ "Awesome." Rainbow Dash said.

She really wanted to learn to fight. Sure, she had always used her hooves, but an actual weapon was different. None of them had ever really used them. Twilight had her magic, but this was something different. The Wonderbolts didn't train with swords, not as far as she remembered.

"So, how are we going to approach speaking with this dragon?" Rarity asked. "Are you going to be the one to meet with her first Kain?" Rarity asked.

Rainbow Dash remembered the last time they'd set off to meet with a dragon. They searched beyond the Unicorn Mountains to talk to an old dragon named Deist. Kain had to asked him to lend his dragon powers so that he could use his dragoon abilities again.

But that wasn't before the dragon challenged Kain to a one on one fight. It was awesome, but Rainbow Dash only regretted not being able to help.

"From what I've seen, dragons can be reasoned with." Kain said.

"Yeah, that Deist dragon we met was pretty nice." Pinkie Pie said.

"Yeah, _after_ he fought with Kain." Rainbow Dash said. "So are you going to do that whole noble thing where you talk to them like they're a queen or something?"

"In a way, yes." Kain said. "Dragons are prideful, so it is best to approach them with humility, regardless of their perceived strength."

"We'll certainly have to be humble." Rarity said. "Considering that we were the ones that asked this dragon to leave in the first place. Now I can see why poor Fluttershy was so nervous."

"Oh, don't you worry too much about that!" Pinkie Pie said. "I'll make sure she gets that apology cake!"

/

Rainbow Dash's party set up camp at the outskirts of the fiery fields, she was so eager for her sparring lesson that she sped through all of the setup of the camp on her own. The pegasus flew in a blur, setting up the tents and equipment from the wagon and then landed in front of the dragoon.

"Ok, everything is ready for tonight Kain, _now_ can we get down to our practice already?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Very well." Kain said after looking over the campsite.

"Try not to get yourselves hurt!" Rarity said. "I'm still new to healing magic you know."

"Oh they'll be fine Rarity." Pinkie Pie said while stirring a pot of stew. "Just let them practice!"

Kain and Rainbow Dash made their way to a clearing to begin. An evening sun had begun to cast an orange glow upon them.

"This is so cool! I'm finally going to learn how to fight with a sword!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Do the Wonderbolts use weapons in combat?" Kain asked. "You've spoken before about joining their ranks."

"Not really." Rainbow Dash said. "Most of them stick to honing their flying skills, which I've already got down."

Kain unhooked his spear and twirled it around to flex his skills. "Armed combat, as you'll see, is much different from what you've practiced before." Kain said. "When you fight with your hooves against armed adversaries, your decision to commit to the blow must be made quickly."

The dragoon spun his spear around then then lunged forward, away from Rainbow Dash. "A weapon allows you some range to ward off attacks." Kain said. "Right now, you're wielding Canterburn, a longsword, which allows you closeness to your attacks and some distance to parry with."

Rainbow Dash looked at the blade strapped at her side. As elegant as ever, it was an object of sleek combat.

"That however, is disadvantageous when fighting a warrior with a spear." Kain said. "My weapon allows me to keep my distance from your attacks. What's more, my weapon does not have a wooden shaft, but is made of metal to prevent it from being cut."

Rainbow Dash regarded the design of the spear. It not only looked heavy, but really did weigh a lot. She remembered the time she borrowed it to strike at a wall of snow, noting how an earth pony like AJ or Kain would have no problem using the metal spear, but flying around with a heavy weapon would only hinder Rainbow Dash.

"So what am I supposed to do?" Rainbow Dash asked. _A lot of good my sword would do._ _You just told me I can't fight you that well._

"That is the point of having a shield." Kain said. "Apart from protecting yourself from projectiles, your shield is made to parry and bash in tandem with your sword."

Rainbow Dash looked at her shield, red, round and of moderate size. "Hey, our shields are different." Rainbow Dash said.

"Indeed." Kain said. "I must use my spear with both ha-forelegs, so it needs to be smaller to provide maneuverability. Go ahead and draw your weapon."

Rainbow Dash then unsheathed her sword with her mouth and held it so that the blade pointed laterally to the right. _Yeah, now we're going to get started!_

"Get a feel for its weight and range." Kain said. "I don't have a great deal of experience using a blade with my mouth, so as for swinging goes, you'll have to use what's comfortable."

Rainbow Dash swung her blade a few times to test its momentum.

"It's not as heavy as I thought it was going to be." She said, muffled by the weapon in her teeth."

"Now try using that shield to keep your guard up." Kain said.

Rainbow Dash used her left foreleg to get her shield from its equipped position on her flank. It was large enough that she had to hold her foreleg up to keep the shield from resting on the ground.

"Make a habit to hold onto that shield with your foreleg as long as you can, and everywhere you go during the day." Kain said. "You'll get used to its weight and should be able to parry more easily in battle."

Rainbow Dash continued to swing Canterburn around , she'd stepped away from Kain and slashed at the air. _This is so cool!_ All those times she'd read about adventures in Daring Do books or hearing about those adventures of old when ponies used swords, Rainbow Dash had always dreamed of this moment, being a real warrior.

"Alright, time for some action! Let's fight Kain!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Not yet perhaps." Kain replied. "You still need to get used to your weapon."

"Aw come on! How am I going to get some practice before a real fight?" _You said we were going to_ spar _!_

"Very well then." Kain said as he got into a combat stance. Rainbow redrew her sword and charged at Kain.

The dragoon kept his distance and parried the sword with his spear, shifting the blade away with little effort. He then circled the blade and knocked it loose from Rainbow's grip, disarming her.

"What the-" was all the pegasus could say before she saw Kain's spear pointed at her face.

"Like I said before, you don't need to commit yourself to every strike." Kain said. "When you were unarmed, it made sense for you to attack me as quickly as you could. But I was able to recover from the blow then and strike back at you."

"But I thought that was why you had weapons, to let you get hits in." Rainbow Dash said.

"Weapons for melee combat are more often used to block blows and then search for an opening." Kain said.

The two of them had set off back to their camp, with the lesson concluded for the day. She'd been bested on day one, but Rainbow knew she wouldn't let this loss set her back. _I'll just have to train harder next time._ _Yeah, you were only lucky that other time because I didn't know your dark side was loose and-_

"Wait a second, are you talking about the time I fought your dark side on the airship?" Rainbow Dash asked. She remembered how ruthless that encounter was. He didn't let up once he had the advantage, only until he'd knocked her off of the airship did that dark dragoon lose interest in the fight.

Kain replied. "Yes."

"You remembered that?" Rainbow Dash asked. "How _could_ you have remembered that? I thought you beat your dark side?"

"I reclaimed every memory he experienced when we reunited." Kain said, as the two of them arrived back at the camp.

Rarity looked at Kain with concern, overhearing that last part of the conversation.

"When I accepted him as part of me, it even included the actions he took when he lashed out on his own." Kain said. "Those memories are part of me as are the good experiences."

"I had no idea Kain." Rarity said. "That you knew what your dark side had done."

"And what he said to you." Kain continued. "I am sorry that you had to hear those words."

 _Wow, and here I thought your dark side wasn't scummy enough already. What the hay did he say to you Rares?_ Rainbow Dash thought, noting the pain in her friend's expression.

"But that isn't how I feel about you, Rarity." Kain said as he approached the white mage.

"Yeah, I remember the mirror pool." Pinkie Pie said. "And after we put all of the other Pinkie Pies back in there, I suddenly remembered what every single Pinkie remembered." Pinkie blinked and somehow had displayed spiral eyes before she shook her head and continued.

"It was like I just remembered dozens of afternoons that day."

"That whole day was weird for all of us too." Rainbow Dash said. "But in the end, you were able to show us you were the real Pinkie Pie. The other copies didn't fight as hard to prove they were the real you."

"Well, they were still a teeny bit like me." Pinkie said. "One wanted nothing but cinnamon and another chocolate. But now I'm back together again, I like every flavor again!"

"So the same thing happened to you Kain?" Rainbow Dash said. "Did it feel weird when you went back to normal?"

"Not particularly." Kain said. "I felt a like I had a check of my dark side for the first time in the longest time in my life. He's still there, but he will never be free again."

"Let's hope so." Rarity said.

"And I finally realized that I couldn't just spend time with everypony." Pinkie said. "I just gotta make time for each one."

"You guys really had some crazy stuff happen." Rainbow Dash said. All sorts of things could happen on these adventures. A fact Rainbow Dash knew all too well. She'd gotten off easy, all things considered from that last debacle, but all the pain she'd heard about bothered her. She couldn't stand her friends having these things, this pain, happening to them.

 _I have to make sure you all stay safe. I'll train harder and make sure we get all of this out of this okay. Nopony is going to get hurt, not if I can help it._


	6. Answers Beneath

Answers Beneath

/ _Applejack_

Applejack's party had set out once again towards the old diamond dog mines. The last time she had set out with the others in this direction, they had been all together. This time however, they were split into two groups, each seeking out an eidolon.

And once again, Applejack was taking time from her busy life to go on an adventure that would have her preoccupied for who knew how long. She knew how important it was to help Equestria, especially when a glowing tree asks you for help, but she wondered just how much time she'd spent away from her responsibilities.

 _Well, at least the tree was nice enough to give us something for the trip._

"Ah reckon we won't be havin any trouble with any spiders this time around." Applejack said, looking over her armor. "Ah'm pretty sure one look at us this time and they'll turn tail."

"We should probably try to avoid them anyway, just to be on the safe side." Twilight said.

"Oh, I'm sure it was just a little misunderstanding." Fluttershy said. "After all, we were the ones who stumbled into their home. If we just explain ourselves this time, I'm sure they'll let us pass."

 _Ah wonder if she's just sayin that because her stare's gotten a whole lot stronger._ Applejack thought. _But then again, these powers might just be the thing this girl needs._

"So Applejack, what did the eidolon look like in your vision?" Twilight asked.

"Well the thing is, Ah never got a got a look at it." Applejack replied. "But Ah did get the feelin that we were supposed to come back here. Ah felt it in mah hooves."

"That's an earth pony saying, right?" Twilight asked.

"Sure is, and it means something." Applejack said. "That magic we have that makes us strong also gives us a way to feel something in the ground. And when Ah was in that dream or whatever it was, Ah felt something about these mines."

"Well, Rainbow Dash seemed to have a similar experience as you, but it's a bit strange that your eidlon didn't reveal her or himself to you." Twilight said. "Although it may mean we'd need to have seen them before in order to know who they are." Twilight said. "But its only speculation."

The group had begun to make their way through dense forests in order to find the mine. Unlike a certain other forest in Equestria, this one much more serene and didn't put anypony at unease. Any other day, it would have been a peaceful walk with some friends.

Something didn't sit well with Applejack though. Maybe it _was_ that it felt too peaceful, but she just couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. _Just nerves._ Applejack thought.

"Well, this looks to be where we were when the crusaders got foal-knapped." Applejack said.

"Wait." Fluttershy said. "Wasn't there a golem near the entrance inside of the mines?"

"Right. Ah forgot about him." Applejack said. "Ah wonder how we're supposed to get past him this time without Rarity to make decoys." The last time, Rarity had subdued the golem by making stone look a likes for the childish creature to play with instead of them.

"We can always hope that he's too preoccupied with the ones from last time." Twilight said.

"I've got an idea." Fluttershy said, looking up at the trees. "Oh, hello there." A sparrow flew down towards her and landed on a nearby plant.

"My friends and I are going into this cave, but we need to see what the golem inside is up to. Would you be a sweetheart and check for us?" The bird chirped and flew into the cave.

"Great idea Fluttershy." Applejack said. "Your critter know-how really helped there."

Moments later, the bird returned and landed back on the plant and began chirping to Fluttershy.

"Really?" Fluttershy said. "Is that so? Oh thank you so much." She reached into her saddlebags and pulled out some berries and gave them to the bird and sent him on his way.

"So what did he say?" Twilight asked. "Is the golem busy with his old distractions?"

"Well, he's not there." Fluttershy said. "Mr. Sparrow said that the whole entrance was empty." 

"So he went someplace else?" Applejack asked.

"Maybe," Twilight said. "but as long as he's not at the entrance, we can use this opportunity to go inside and begin our search."

The three of them nodded in agreement and proceeded into the cave.

Applejack then felt another one of her "hunches". _There it is again._ This time, it felt like it was coming from outside of the cave. _There are all sorts of critters in the forest, probably just bein a bit jumpy._

/

"Wow, this place has really been cleared out." Twilight said, her voice echoeing in the huge entrance chamber. "I wonder where the golem went to, he seemed pretty content here."

"Let's just hope far away from here." Applejack said. "We don't need him trying to brush our manes for us. Ah'm a grown mare, thank ya very much."

"Okay, so let's try to stay together this time." Twilight said. "There are less of us so we really don't need to bet separated, alright?"

They made their way further down the mines, torches that remained lit over the years through some magic illuminated their path.

"So does anything feel different now Applejack?" Twilight asked.

"Ah'm getting the feelin that we're getting closer." Applejack said. There was a stronger energy she could sense through her hooves. It was like feeling the earth at her farm. There was a sense of life giving energy and minerals, but far much stronger here.

"We should keep moving then." Twilight said.

Fluttershy remained alert, staying close to her friends. She looked a bit more tense than usual.

 _Don't tell me she's gone and lost her nerve already. She was doin pretty good up til now._ Applejack thought. "What's wrong Fluttershy?" She asked.

"I don't know." Fluttershy replied. "I hear something strange."

"These mines can carry sound waves from who knows where." Twilight said. "Maybe it's just a normal sound that's been distorted."

"Maybe." Fluttershy said. "But there's something else, not like bats or the pitter patter of spiders."

"Speakin of those spiders." Applejack said. "They're not tryin to get the jump on us again or something?"

"Well, I haven't heard something like them." Fluttershy said.

"Ya think they're just doin a good job of hidin?" Applejack asked.

"I don't know." Fluttershy said, looking up at the ceiling of the mines.

Given her uneasiness since they entered the mines, Applejack still couldn't shake the notion that they weren't alone. It could never just be _this_ simple. Something or somepony was here with them. Hopefully only the eidolon.

"Just keep your wits about ya girls." Applejack said.

/

The party found itself in a large, open area of the mines. The floor was barren and it appeared as if this section of the mines had been exhausted long ago. Webs hung from the ceilings, but there wasn't even a sign of the large spiders that had given the mane six problems the last time they were here.

The only thing, however, that proved to be ominous was the gaping hole that began at one section of the chamber. It wasn't a pitfall or sinkhole, rather it was if something large had burrowed in or out of this entrance.

"Does anypony remember seeing something like _that_ the last time we were here?" Twilight asked.

"Oh my, a very large creature must have made this." Fluttershy said, trotting over to the opening.

 _Ah really don't get her._ Applejack thought. "Uh, Fluttershy, aren't ya worried that whatever made that might try to snack on us?"

Then, the sound of something like mud hitting the ground resonated. The three ponies turned around to see a blue gel plopping from the ceiling as if there was a leak of sorts above.

"What is that?" Twilight asked, trotting up to the strange substance.

"Easy, Twi!" Applejack said. "Somethin don't seem raht about that stuff."

"Well, I've never seen anything like this." Twilight said. "This demands investigation." She then began using her magic to scan over the substance. "Hmm, Some miners use chemicals to get every trace of metal they can get out of the rock, but that's usally for gold."

 _Twi, ya sure can forget about the danger we're in sometimes._ Applejack thought. But that uneasiness was in her still remained, if not, it was getting stronger now.

"Diamond dogs are really only known for their pursuit of gems," Twilight continued, still oblivious to everything else around her. "So why would they be going after gold here? And that still doesn't explain the gelatinous appearance of this material, or why it would be dripping from the ceiling."

Unbeknown to Twilight, , the puddle began to stir. "That may mean there are levels of the mines above us." She said, turning towards the others. "How deep _are_ we?"

"Uh, Twilight." Applejack said with growing worry.

"Way ahead of you on your concern AJ." Twilight said. "You're probably thinking that there might be some more of this 'acid' above us too."

By this time, the globule had begun to rise to about the height of the pony in front of it. "But don't worry, I'm pretty sure that its only a trace remnant of the acids used befoe, so we should be fine." Twilight said with confidence.

By this time, a large blob had formed with recesses that gave it the appearance of eyes and a gaping mouth.

"Twilight!" Applejack yelled.

The scholar turned around to see the creature before her, gurgling and opening its mouth wider. Twilight screamed and bolted away as the thing closed in.

"Ok, I have no idea what the heck _that_ is!" Twilight exclaimed. "Okay, let's be rash. Maybe we can try reasoning with it? Fluttershy?"

The pegasus moved to the front of the group and spoke to the creature. "Um, hello Mr. Slime."

The creature slowly moved forward. "We're just trying to find our way here, so can you please help us?" Fluttershy asked."

It gurgled and continued on its path.

 _Somethin's not raht._ Applejack thought. _Usually, them varmits at least stop a little bit to hear her out._

"Do you know where that tunnel goes?" Fluttershy asked. "I know you look scary, but I bet you're sweet."

Despite her kind words, the creature kept its pace.

 _Nope, not on ma watch!_ Applejack then made a move to grab Fluttershy just vefore the creature was upon them. "Somethin ain't raht with that thing." She said.

"It didn't even care what I said at all." Fluttershy said quietly to herself.

"Alraht, that tears it." Applejack said, brandishing her axe. "Ah can't have ya tryin to eat mah friends!"

Before anyone else could react, AJ swung at the creature. Twilight and Fluttershy flinched as they heard the weapon pass through the creature. To everyone's surprise, nothing seemed to have happened.

All there was was a small splatter on the ground next to the creature, which was still in one piece.

"What the hay?" Applejack said through clenched teeth. She swung again, and noticed that her axe passed clean through, save for bits of its viscous body that were launched as the axe exited. The slimy creature didn't seem at all fazed by the attack and moved towards AJ and then grabbed her with arms that formed from its mass.

"Hey! Stop that!" Applejack said. However the monster began to envelope the fighter through its maw. _Ah did not sign up for this!_

"Leave her alone!" Fluttershy yelled. She unhooked her whip and last it tawards the creature. Instead of striking the creature, her whip wrapped itself around one of Applejack's legs. Fluttershy then yanked her friend free from the attacker and back towards the group.

She collided with them and sent them tumbling. Applejack was covered in the creature's goop. The all scrambled back on their hooves to face the creature. "How are we supposed to stop that thing if none of us can even scratch it?" the fighter asked.

Twilight then fired a bolt of magic from her horn, but the pink blast seemd to glance off as if it were nothing more than a cup of water. "Great, my magic doesn't work either." She said.

 _Ya have got to be kiddin me._ Applejack thought. _We come all this way, we get all this fancy smancy new "powers" and we can't even deal with a single crazed critter!_ Her train of thought was interrupted by the alicorn next to her that began sniffing her.

"Uh, now's not the time for you to go and act like Winona." Applejack said.

"That smell, it's like a composition I used in my experiments a while back." Twilight said.

"What's that got to do with this?" Applejack asked.

The creature slid its way closer to the group amid the strange behavior of her friend. The three of them ran towards different sides of the chamber.

"I remember that substance having a weird reaction during one of my experiments." Twilight said, unbuckling her tome. "Now let's see." It then began to glow a light blue and she swung at the creature.

Cold and frost moved over the surface of the assailant before it shattered in a small explosion.

"Sentient chemicals? How strange." Twilight said, musing.

But before anyone else could add more to the conversation, more audible plops could be heard as additional gelatinous creatures appeared. Two of them were red, two yellow, another blue one had made their way slowly into the chamber, making room to maneuver noticeably smaller.

"Get in the air Fluttershy!" Twilight said. "Give AJ some extra room to run!"

"Ah'll keep 'em busy down here!" Applejack replied.

Twilight had already begun to focus her magic inter tome once more and made short work of the blue creature. "Well, that takes care of that one, but the yellow and red creatures?"

Fluttershy looked at the ceiling and her eyes began to glow as they did when she stared into the cradodile from before. She stared deep into the darkness of the mines. Bats came flying out in a swarm, each one with eyes glowing the same color as Fluttershy's.

The pegasus then directed her gaze to the ground, at the slime creatures. The swarm flew down, following her guidance. The bats screeched at the monsters, drawing some of the yellow ones then moved towards the bat swarm.

 _Well, that makes things a bit easier._ Applejack thought. She brandished her axe and tried waving it to ward off the remaining creatures. _Dang, nothing seems to spook 'em._

The bats then moved in front of Fluttershy and began to make chittering sounds to her.

"Twilight, I had the bats smell those slimy things to see if theyre was anything special about them." Fluttershy said.

"Well, what did the bats tell you?" Twilight asked eagerly. "They said the one they flew by, the yellow ones, smelled like metal." They can't see color that well."

"Then we've got to do something." Twilight said. "AJ is outnumbered down there." The scholar charged her tome ot make it glow and crackle with electricity. "Let's hope this works."

Twilight sent the tome to slam with one of the yellow creatures. It began to shake violently until it exploded, leaving sparkling dust in ist aftermath.

Fluttershy cringed at the creature's untimely end.

"Alright, time for the other one!" Twilight said. The "other" one didn't seem fazed or even care that two of its kind had been eradicated, which offset Fluttershy's demeanor. "We have to stop them Fluttershy, they're trying to eat Applejack." She then slammed the tome into her target, causing it to exlpode.

Applejack was growing more and more frustrated with every ineffective strike against the creatures. _Consarnit_ , _why can't Ah do anyting to these monsters?_ She thought. _Ya get these "new" powers and ya still can't do anything. Twilight's already gone and been more useful with her magic like always._ She dodged another lunge from one of the creatures. _And here ya are again, with not much to show other than yer earth pony strength._

Applejack cleaved the creature vertically, only for it to reform as quickly as it had been split. _It's not that Ah don't appreciate the help, but am Ah really this useless?_ The mare huffed in frustration after dealing another ineffective blow.

"Ah gotta do something raht!" Applejack helled, and then she felt her axe begin to get hotter, mid-swing. The blade turned orange and became engulfed in flames a moment before she struck the jelly-like creature.

As soon as the axe made contact, the creature exploded and shoved Applejack a few feet back. "Whoa." she said. She looked up at her friends in the air and asked. "Did you do that, Twilight?"

Twilight shook her head and held her forelegs up in puzzlement. Applejack then turned to the remaining gel creature and unleashed her attack once more and put an end to last enemy.

"We did it!" Twilight exclaimed. Their celebration was cut short when Fluttershy poked at her.

"Um, Twilight." Fluttershy said, pointing to even more masses of goo falling from the ceiling. Worse yet, some of them were amassing into a blob that stayed stuck to the ceiling.

"Aw nuts." Applejack said.


	7. On the Edge of Danger

/ _Rainbow Dash_

When Rainbow Dash's party entered the fiery fields, there was an air of caution that kept everyone on edge and silent. All that could be heard was the hissing of the acidic-like landscape.

Rarity broke the silence. "Just after we get passed this place, we should be near Cajun pony country. The dragon shouldn't be far off if what Rainbow Dash described is correct." She nervously looked around from her seat at the front of the wagon.

Rainbow Dash scanned the area from above the wagon, checking for any threats from her vantage point. _So far, so good._ She thought to herself. _We'll get out of these fields, and then we can go straight for the dragon._

She began to wonder what would happen when they actually met the dragon. Would this eidolon test her like Deist tested Kain at those ancient ruins? The dragoon had to fight Deist, one on one. Rainbow Dash remembered that fight, she wanted to help Kain, but the dragon prevented any interference.

 _Would I have to fight?_ She thought. _I can barely fight Kain as it is right now._ She hoped that it wouldn't come down to a test of strength. _Hey, who knows? Maybe the dragon will accept a race?_

Her ruminations were cut short when she noticed a change in the terrain. "Hold on guys!" she said, flying down to ground level to warn the others.

Pinkie Pie and Kain screeched to a halt. "The path ahead looks really rugged." Rainbow Dash said.

"We're going to need to take this slowly." Kain said.

"Hold on, Rarity!" Pinkie Pie said. "It's gonna be a bumpy ride!"

The slower pace agitated Rainbow Dash. It left her feeling way more vulnerable, than if she were flying at her normal speed. Her train of thought was on finding the eidolon of fire, and any stops along the way just seemed annoying. Of course, she knew all to well about getting caught up and distracted with over eagerness.

Kain had warned her that time they went investigating those cultist unicorns. Even if she meant well, rushing in without a plan ended with her on the receiving end of a transformation spell. Rainbow Dash instead focused her attention now, to making sure the path for the wagon was clear.

And it was then she noticed the apparent movement in the trees nearby. _Any other day, I'd take you on, but we've places to go._ Rainbow Dash thought to herself, some anxiousness for action still. "Hey, we've got company." She said to the party.

Kain and Pinkie Pie stopped and waited for whatever was closing in on them. Sure enough, three chimeras emerged from the denser, forested area. The creature had a goat, lion, and snake head that each eyed the ponies with hunger.

"Thiss isss asss far asss you go." The snake head on one of the chimera said.

"There's a lot more path for us to continue on." Kain said. "I guess we won't be stopping here."

"Oh, not even for a bite to eat?" The Lion head of the same chimera said.

"Snack time?" Pinkie Pie asked. "That sound's great!" she then dove into the cart.

"I don't think that's what they meant." Rainbow Dash said. She drew closer to the group, but kept a wary eye on the other two chimeras that were approaching. _Pinkie, why are you messing around_ now _?_

"Now, now, I'm certain we can come to an agreement." Rarity said. "I'm pretty sure that we can provide something else that might interest you?"

Applejack had given the group warnings on what they should do if they ever encountered a chimera. She'd gone on many trips on her own to Cajun pony country; she'd always brought cheese as a means of distracting at least one of the chimera's heads.

"Oh yesss." Another snake head said. "We'll just be taking all of your cheese now." Its corresponding goat head said.

"I do apologize," Rarity said. "but we simply cannot give you every last bit of cheese. Please be reasonable."

"Fine then." The lion head on the second chimera said. ""How about you leave one pony behind, and we'll call it even."

Rainbow Dash's patience was wearing thin as it was, but leaving anypony behind was out of the question. "Alright, that's it." She said. "Look, we already tried to be nice with you, but it looks like you're going to have to learn things the hard way."

The chimera growled and took offensive stances.

Kain readied his spear. "Normally, I'd say we shouldn't be so brash, but I have to agree with you Rainbow. These chimeras aren't being reasonable."

As the monsters drew near, an odd mechanical noise was heard. A strange extending mechanism with a platform extended from the back of the wagon. Atop the platform was Pinkie Pie and her cannon.

"Hey, there's no need to fight!" she said. "There's plenty for all of you!" She began firing a multitude of shots at the chimera.

However, instead of explosions, her shots encased the chimera and their immediate area with huge amounts of orange goo. The monsters struggled to move, but to no avail remained stuck.

"What isss thiss?" a snake head asked. The goat head on the chimera then began to chew at the material at a leisurely pace.

The creatures were effectively trapped. Even with the goo being consumed, it wasn't fast enough for the chimera to free themselves.

Kain spun his spear onto his back. "Well that settles things then." He said.

Pinkie Pie then returned her contraption back into the wagon and she rejoined Kain in pulling the wagon. They resumed their journey without further incident. Rainbow checked back every now and then to make sure none of the chimera got the jump on them.

As they left the fire fields the group breathed a breath of literal fresh air. The fire fields had a suffocating humidity to them despite all the fire and heat.

"Nice one back there, Pinks." Rainbow Dash said.

"That everdough was really nifty in a pinch!" Pinkie Pie said. "All I did was add some cheese, and voila! Cheesy bread batter!"

Rainbow thought about how silly it was for the princesses to give Pinkie such a weird gift for stopping Chrysalis' attack in Ponyville a while back. She'd got a sword and Rarity a staff that only a fancy pony like her could actually pull off owning. And then there was Pinkie. She'd received some weird dough that grew completely out of control, so it had to be put into a little magic bag.

 _Leave it to Pinkie to figure out how to use it._ Rainbow thought. "Well, it worked." She said. "What about you, Rarity? Did you bring the staff the princesses gave you in Canterlot?"

"Actually, I did bring the staff of Whinwu. It seemed fitting that I should have it on this journey." Rarity said, while bringing the object from the back of the cart into view. "Besides, a lady must be able to defend herself, especially if she's to be helping save Equestria."

"Let's hope it serves you well." Kain said.

"Gotta wonder though." Rainbow Dash said. "If it's a gift from the princesses, there's got to be something more to it like my sword. Remember how they said it was made for Pegasi to use?"

"I suppose for now it will be my staff for defense." Rarity said. "Speaking of which, I suppose you wouldn't mind giving me a few lessons along with Rainbow Dash, Kain?"

"Of course not." Kain replied.

"Ooh, and me too?!" Pinkie Pie asked excitedly.

"I'm not sure I can train you to fight with a cannon Pink-" Kain said.

"Just kidding!" Pinkie Pie said.

The party shared a laugh and made their way out toward the crags and Cajun pony country.

/

They had reached the divide in the path, one lead to civilization, and the other to the crags where the dragon they sought lived.

"Looks to be another half day's journey." Kain said. "Though to be honest, I'm still getting used to how quickly my legs can carry me."

"Just think about how fast you'd go if you had wings." Rainbow Dash said. "But I guess that doesn't matter much right now."

It was a clear shot to the crags, and everyone agreed to head there and not use any more time than they needed. Rainbow had thought about stopping by a Cajun pony town, but she found herself mixed on the urge to go visit and have a meal over there.

She remembered Kain's words from the last time. _This isn't a field trip._ Again, that last embarrassing adventure resounded with her. On one hoof, the prospect of all of her friends gaining these awesome new powers excited her. She wanted to help save Equestria, and if they got to look cool while doing it, even better. But on the other hoof, she'd remembered what her ego would lead her to if she got carried away.

The move towards the crags only increased her boredom. _Nothing is happening._ She thought. And yet her boredom was mixed with relief. _Is this what it's like to be Kain all the time_? Sure, there was nothing to do, but at least there wasn't any crazy magic that could turn her into a pig…hopefully.

They'd settled on a spot to camp for the night before going into the craggy pass. Just like the night before, Rainbow was ready to learn more about fighting from Kain. She sped through the camp set up. Pinkie even held up whatever various tool she needed during the process as she flew by.

/

Kain was showing Rarity the basics of wielding a staff to Rarity. He had his helmet off, but it wasn't clear if the unicorn was completely paying attention to the lesson. _You're head over hooves for him, Rarity._ Rainbow Dash thought.

"It's more of a defensive aid to battle than a weapon." Kain said. "But it has a great similarity as using a spear."

Rainbow let the two of them continue practicing; she instead focused on her swings and just watched the two of them from the side of her eye. _Celestia, this shield is heavy._

Rarity then used her magic to twirl her staff around in a way like Kain used his spear. "I'm actually a bit of jealous." Kain said. "You are able to wield your staff with your magic. That must certainly be easier than by hoof."

"Oh, but telekinesis is still exhausting for a unicorn Kain." Rarity said.

"Still though, it will be easier to show you how to wield it since you control it more like you had hands." Kain said. He went on, showing Rarity various guards to use while using her staff.

 _Heh, yeah Kain, show her the ropes._ Rainbow thought. _She'd never be this interested if it were any pony else teaching her about fighting._

"So, have you learned to keep your guard up when fighting since we last sparred?" Kain asked, moving to Rainbow from Rarity.

"Yeah, you're not getting the best of me so easily this time." Rainbow Dash said.

The two of them readied their weapons. There was a pause between the dragoon and raptor. Rainbow Dash was fighting every urge to strike first, she waited to see what Kain would do.

His spear moved in a slow practice attack, Rainbow Dash moved right and held her shield to face the attack as she dodged. Kain swung his spear to the left. Rainbow then sped in close and caught the shaft of the spear with Canterburn.

"Good." Kain said.

They repeated the exercise in many variations, with Kain counterattacking differently to test Rainbow Dash's reactions. After these practice runs, Kain stepped back and planted his spear into the ground.

"I must apologize." Kain said. "But I believe I should be training you a bit differently. I'd only come to realize that I've been your only training partner."

"What are you talking about, Kain?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Ordinarily, you'd face right handed- _hooved_ opponents." Kain said. "As of now, you've only been fighting against a left hooved one. If you're world is like mine, then the majority of encounters you'll face will be against right hooved opponents."

Kain grabbed his spear from the ground, spun it around with his left foreleg doing most of the work, and then replanting it into the ground.

"Oh." Rainbow Dash said.

"I'll train you with using my right side to prepare you for those types of opponents as well. I had plenty of right handed soldiers to train with when I was younger." Kain said. He then switched his shield to his left foreleg and picked up his spear using his right. "Let's have another go at it."

 _He's doing this just so I can fight better?_ Rainbow Dash thought. _Well, now I can't let him down. I gotta win now._

They began to spar as normal; Rainbow noted how she had to turn differently in order to practice her parries and counters. _His attacks are way slower this time. Guess my openings are going to be a lot easier._

She parried another thrust from his spear and dodged left. Instinctively, she brought her sword to bear and swung, expecting Kain to be ready to block. Only, he hadn't. She'd moved too fast.

"Kain!" Rarity yelled.

It was only moments before Rainbow Dash's sword came down. She was horrified to feel her blade come into contact with something hard and then pass through. _Oh no…_ she thought as she turned around to see that Kain was somehow alright.

She dropper her sword. "Oh my gosh, Kain. I'm so sorry!" Rainbow said in a rushed apology.

"You really are quick." Kain said. "A lesser opponent would have assuredly dispatched by that attack. I almost might have. But it seems Rarity was quicker than the both of us."

Rainbow Dash noticed a bright yellow shape hovering in front of Kain.

"It seems I've stitched a shield." Rarity said. "It all happened so fast, but when I saw Rainbow Dash about to strike you, my magic must have surged to protect you."

"Indeed, that was an aptly named protect spell." Kain said. "It would seem you're unlocking more of your abilities."

"I only saw you in trouble, and I had to help somehow." Rarity said.

 _You really do like him Rarity._ Rainbow Dash thought. _You moved even faster than me for a second there. But Kain..._ She'd come to a realization.

"Kain, you don't have to practice with me that way if you don't feel up to it." Rainbow Dash said. "I know you're trying to help, but I almost hurt you."

"Are your certain?" Kain asked. "What about learning to fight against right handed opponents?"

"There's always AJ when we catch up. I'm sure she'll be a good sparring partner. Besides, I think I want to fight you when you're at your best." Rainbow Dash said.

"Thank you." Kain replied.

"Yeah, I mean who asks ponies to switch hooves anyways?" Pinkie said, bouncing up to the group. "I wouldn't ask Fluttershy or Spike to switch hooves or claws when they were helping be bake, that's just silly."

"It is isn't it?" Kain said, putting his weapon on his back. Rainbow Dash followed suit and the group made their way to have dinner.

 _Additional Notes:_

After the initial shock of learning about Rainbow Dash and Kain's sparring incident, I set to questioning why once again, Rarity was able to create another spell she'd never used almost instantaneously. It isn't that I doubt her skill with magic, but instead I question how coherently a magical effect could be caused so quickly without practice.

But thanks to the details from speaking with Kain, however, I can attribute more to my theory that Rarity, and all of our new skills are borrowed from our innate talents. Rarity crated or wove a magical barrier to protect Kain. This still leads me to wonder what "White Magic" actually is. Kain spoke of healers on his world, and from the sound of it, their spells seem very similar to ours. They require hours of practice to master, so why then do all of these magical effects different for us? I hesitate to think of the "specialness" of my friends and I, but dos our previous title as Bearers for the Elements of Harmony hold any weight? "White Mage" and "White Magic" seem to denote healing and protection, and perhaps this might be why the Bearer of Generosity was given these skills.

Rarity's "Protect" spell is much different from the shield spells I've used before, they're more of sustained magic than what Kain told me of what happened. Once again, Rarity is creating a tool to do what she wants to accomplish, much like she searches for the appropriate tool to crate her fashion. Still, the correlation between the tools and desired effects has me puzzled.


	8. Surprise Act

/ _Applejack_

Each of the mares had been cornered to one section of the room. Fluttershy's bats stayed low to avoid the monsters on the ceiling and the dozens of flans that congregated on the ground level.

Five blue flans edged closer. "I don't think I can hit all of them at once!" Twilight said.

"Well, we gotta hold them off!" Applejack said. _There ain't no place to run now._

Twilight had just about energized her tome once more and readied an attack when ice in the form of stalagmites came pulsing along the ground and hit all five of the flans in one blow and turned them into a white mist.

The party looked towards the source of the cold attack and saw a mare that looked quite similar to Mare Do Well. Each of them knew the character was only something they concocted to fool Rainbow Dash long ago though.

Upon further inspection, they noticed that this mare was slightly different. She wore a gold, floppy hat and had blue robes and a cape. Stranger yet, was while she wasn't wearing a mask, her face was being obstructed by some sort of black aura, leaving only two small blue "eyes" amid the shaded face.

The mare galloped further and launched another ice spell at the flans. More of the blue ones exploded while the rest were only barely harmed.

Twilight immediately took to charging her tome yellow and began to swat the yellow flans. AJ, in turn, attacked the red flans with her fiery weapon.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy was preoccupied with distracting the slimes on the ceiling with her bats. The monsters coalesced into a larger yellow flan which then began to reach out for the beastmaster's swarm.

 _As long as they're busy up there, we can hold off the monsters down here._ Applejack thought. _Celestia knows how much of a problem that thing would be with all of its friends around._ She then struck another red flan, but another had flanked her and was beginning to open its blue mouth to snack on her before a shard of ice pierced through it and vaporized it.

"Thanks partner." Applejack said to the mysterious mare that had just saved her.

Slowly the number of flans began to dwindle until there was only the large one on the ceiling. It then made a huge lunge for Fluttershy and her swarm. Though it missed, the flan destabilized itself from the ceiling and fell to the floor with a huge gelatinous spat.

When it rose up, it was easily the size of ten flans put together. Twilight launched her book at the creature, but it only sent a small portion of its gooey matter flying apart from it.

The mysterious mare then began casting another ice spell and shot a huge wave of frost at the flan. From its base, the creature began to chill over but its head was left untouched by the spell.

Twilight then delivered the final blow, sending crystalized goop throughout the chamber. Everyone waited for a while to make sure no further flans came sliming out of nowhere.

Fluttershy dismissed her bats and returned to the ground with the others.

"That was close." Twilight said.

"That fight sure left me tuckered out." Applejack said, letting her ax hit the ground.

"I've never seen a pony use attacks like that Applejack." Twilight said. "Perhaps that's why you're so tired?'

"Probably, Ah only swung my ax around a few times, but that normally don't tire me out." Applejack said.

Fluttershy interrupted their thoughts with sorrow. "Those creatures, they didn't even respond to me at all."

"Ah wondered about that Fluttershy." Applejack said. "What happened back there?"

"It was awful, like somepony was controlling them."

"But, isn't' that what you did with the bats?" Twilight asked.

"It's different Twilight." Fluttershy said. "I only ask all my animal friends for help, and if they let me, I guide them to help us. But those slime creatures…" she sniffled. "It was like they didn't, or couldn't fell anything at all."

Twilight came up to her friend and put a foreleg over her. "I'm so sorry Fluttershy. I wish we could have done something else."

"Who would do such a thing?" Fluttershy asked.

"I don't know." Twilight said.

"Ya don't think it might be them 'forces' the Tree of Harmony said were out there?" Applejack asked.

"That is a possibility , but if we're going up against powers that can even keep Fluttershy from reaching out to some creatures, then its definitely something to be concerned about." Twilight said.

"I thought for sure I would be able to help the poor thing, but it was completely shut out from me." Fluttershy said. "Are we going to have to fight more of them, animals taken over?"

"It ain't gonna be easy Fluttershy." Applejack said. "Ah know how much you love every critter, but if we don't work fast, more of them critters might end up like these."

"You're right!" Fluttershy said, separating herself from Twilight's embrace. "We can't let Equestria fall to whatever is doing this. I wouldn't want to be in a world like that. I'm staying with you."

The party's attention then shifted to their newest addition.

"Thank you so much for your help back there." Twilight said. "You came in just in time to help us out. Your spell casting is pretty good, I've never seen anypony handle themselves with elemental magic that effectively."

The mare then put a hoof to her hat and removed it, dispelling the shadows around her face. She chuckled a bit. "Coming from you, Twilight Sparkle,"

The mare revealed her powder blue face with purple eyes and a white-blue mane. "That means a whole lot." The mage said.

"Trixie?!" the rest of the party exclaimed all at once.

/

"Why in Equestria are you here?" Twilight asked.

"Helping _you_ of course." Trixie said.

"But those spells, when did you learn to cast those?" Twilight asked.

"Yer not wearin that amulet again, are ya?" Applejack asked.

"Of course Trixie isn't wearing it!" the showmare exclaimed. "She is beyond dark magic."

"But those weren't ordinary spells." Twilight said. "Those were some strong, destructive, elemental magics you were using. Where did you learn to cast them?"

Trixie gulped. "Well, not everypony can just go about using this kind of magic. Trixie supposes that's what the voice meant by 'Light of Destruction'."

"Wait, what voice?" Applejack asked. _Ya have got to be kiddin me._

"Trixie was minding her own business, when a light shot into her. She thought she was a dead mare, but then heard a voice tell here to help save the world." She said. "Then Trixie was told she had the Light of Destruction, she even had a new outfit to go along with her new powers!"

She swung her cape around to emphasize her new appearance. "Truly the voice knew what it was doing when it asked the Great and Powerful Trixie to help."

"But how did you find us?" Applejack asked. "Ya sure came in at the right time."

"Trixie was told to look for other, what was the word?" she said aloud pondering the term. "Light Warriors, yes that was the title the voice used. Anyways, the voice said they would be nearby, Trixie just couldn't believe it was all of you!"

Applejack noted the frustration both she and Twilight had. _Of all the mares in the world, she has to be the one to help us?_

"Please," Trixie said. "Trixie didn't want to go anywhere near you after all that's happened, but when she saw you go into the mines, she couldn't stay behind. So she secretly followed you."

 _Ah knew it, somepony was following us!_

"Well it's a good thing you did." Fluttershy said, walking up to Trixie. "You saved us when things were looking bad."

"So you want Trixie's help?" she asked.

"That voice you heard was the Tree of Harmony." Fluttershy said. "It asked all of us to find the Eidolons of Harmony."

"And by the looks of things, we're going to need all the help we can get." Twilight said, bemused.

/

After a short recap of the circumstances that led Applejack's party to the mines, they decided to investigate the large tunnel opening in the chamber.

Unlike the rest of the mines before it, did not have any torches lighting the way, so Twilight and Trixie lit the path with their horns.

"Not to be rude or nothin," Applejack said. "But what's with the shadin on yer face, Trixie?"

Trixie blinked her glowing eyes at the fighter. "Oh, this is apparently part of the outfit of a black mage." She said. "Trixie must say, it does add an allure to her appearance."

"A black mage." Twilight said. "Rarity was given the powers of a white mage by the Tree of Harmony. Apparently, her job is to heal. I take it from your demonstration earlier that your powers must be dark and destructive."

Trixie was quick to respond. "Trixie's powers aren't dark! She has _destructive_ and elemental magic now Twilight Sparkle" Her beady eyes narrowed at the scholar. "You of all ponies should know that this is nothing like the sort of magic Trixie had with the Alicorn Amulet."

"You're right Trixie," Twilight said

"Oh, it's always something else with…wait, what?" Trixie asked.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have jumped to that conclusion." Twilight said.

"Oh, apology accepted." Trixie said, her eyes darting away from Twilight.

 _Additional Notes:_

I can't even begin to describe my excitement when I discovered Applejacks's newest ability. Until this point, I had only thought the Tree of Harmony had given her an ax and armor. It seems as if her ability is more of a spell. Some unicorns use rods and staves as a focus for magic and Applejack appears to be doing something similar. She must be using her earth pony magic to create the flame on her ax, but I find myself asking, why fire?

It certainly helped us in our fight against the flans. Applejack must be using her own stamina to power the attack. Earth pony magic raw and potent, naturally giving them a great degree of strength, the other tribes do not, and while its normally only used for lifting, pushing, or agriculture. Seeing it channeled this way makes me wonder to what degree the Fighter's abilities allow Applejack to use her strength so differently. Furthermore, it appears that using this skill does tire out Applejack much in the way too many spells being cast can leave a unicorn drained.

Returning to the fire though, I am still puzzled. It isn't a indicative element of earth pony culture, save for smiths, but Applejack comes from a line of farmers, so where does the fire come into place, rage? It's the only other aspect I can theorize, but that even seems contrary to Appejack's nature. Then again, when a monster tries to eat you and your friends, that might do the trick.  
(Trixie has joined the party.)


	9. Tandem Tactics

/ _Rainbow Dash_

Rainbow Dash's party had to leave the wagon behind before moving through the crag.

"Are you sure this is where we need to be going Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked as she carefully avoided mounds of ash on the ground. "I left behind a great deal of belongings in the wagon.

"It should be fine." Kain said. "We went to a decent length to hide it."

"And of course I'm sure we're headed the right way." Rainbow Dash said. "That feeling inside me has been getting warmer ever since we got here." _It's like a fire that's making me want to go even faster._

"Are you sure it's not heartburn Dashie?" Pinkie Pie asked. "You had a lot of spicy nachos last night."

"I'm pretty sure it's the eidolon, Pinkie." Rainbow Dash said.

"You won't have to look so far it seems." Rarity said, pointing a hoof towards one of the peaks. "It looks like the dragon has left us with that familiar trail."

Smoke billowed from the peak into the sky, amassing with the smoke in the atmosphere.

"Now, the only trouble is getting there." Rainbow Dash said, looking down for possible paths. _This is going to be a pain to get them there without wings._

She scanned the area, and nothing but ash could be seen coating the landscape. "Wait a second, there looks like there's a path that we can take on hoof." Rainbow Dash said.

"That's odd." Rarity said. "I didn't think anypony would go out of their way to come out here. Let alone often enough to make a path.

"In either event, we should make use of it." Kain said. "The terrain is far too treacherous to navigate. We wouldn't know where there was solid ground."

"I dunno, don't you think this would be the _perfect_ place to put a trap?" Pinkie asked.

"Well, that's why we have your Pinkie Sense." Rainbow Dash said.

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot!" Pinkie replied.

As the party made its way along the path, the ponies waded through knee-high ash.

"This is absolutely terrible." Rarity said. "My clothes and coat are going to be stained by all of this ash. A trip to the spa could fix my coat, but these robes?" She lifted the front of her robes to inspect them. "I certainly hope that these clothes were crafted to be stain proof. At least your outfit is safe in the air Rainbow Dash."

"Well, I don't really care too much about them getting dirty." Rainbow dash said. Then ash began falling from the sky. "Just great." She said and then landed.

"What's wrong Dashie?" Pinkie asked.

"I can't fly here." Rainbow Dash replied. "I mean, I could, but then I'd get a whole lot of ash in my wings and then I'll get weighed down."

"Bummer." Pinkie said.

"I guess it's on hoof with everypony else." Rainbow Dash said."

Rarity turned to give her a skeptical look.

"Right, sorry about that." Rainbow Dash said.

"Though, Rainbow Dash does need to be wary." Kain said. "She is only making sure that's she's ready to fly only if she needs to be.

 _Thanks Kain, at least you get it._

"It's strange," Rarity began. "the last time we encountered this dragon, her smoke billowed for miles. "Now it only looks like it's only in this area."

"If she was this close to Ponyville, we'd be covered in ash just like this place." Pinkie said. "And we'd have to changed your name to Rainbow Ash, Dashie!"

"Ha, ha." Rainbow Dash replied as she and Kain continued at the front of the group. "It's gotta be the weather team that keeps the smoke at bay from Cajun pony country. Glad I'm not her, I'd be cleaning my wings every day, and that'd be a pain."

Unknown to the group, mounds of ash around them rose and fell ever so slightly. Only Pinkie Pie turned to stare at the still ash with an inquisitive glance. "Huh…" she said to herself.

The party went through the winding path, getting ever closer to the cave with smoke emanating from it, only to realize something surprising.

"Wait a second," Rainbow Dash said. "Does that path lead up to the cave?"

"That is quite puzzling." Rarity said. "Why are there ponies going to that cave so often? Did some ponies decide it was a good idea to live up here with a dragon that fills the air with smoke?

"There's only one way to find out." Kain said, while taking the first steps to the cave entrance.

Inside, the group found the dragoness they were looking for, as well as an old bearded pony in red robes.

The occupants weren't the only sights in the cave, there were gems and furnishings apparently fit for a pony in the dwelling.

"Hey, you're not the only one who's upset with the situation at hoof." The old pony spokes in an accent. "My village would love to come up here and do their job _without_ the life-threatening dangers."

"Sardon Saddles." The dragon said. "You know that I can't do anything about that. I've tried to roast them out. Never works."

The party approached the odd pair.

"But as long as…" the Cajun pony turned to Rainbow Dash's group. "Oh, it looks like we might have someponies who actually have a death wish even after braving the climb up here. How'd you make it here?"

"We walked?" Pinkie Pie said. "Well, I hopped up here, but my friends walked."

The dragon craned her neck to speak. "Well, I'd never think I'd see you here."

"Hey, we're here because you're the Eidolon of Fire." Rainbow Dash said.

"Oh?" the dragon said. "First you want me to leave, and now you want me around because you think I'm important. And ponies say dragons are fickle."

"Wait a moment." Rarity said. "Why are you speaking to us now and not before?"

"Well, I was sick and lost my voice."The dragon said. "All I wanted was few wings away from home, but could I get that? No. Not hours later a group of ponies show up and try to get me to leave."

"Goodness, had we known, we certainly wouldn't' have been so callous." Rarity said.

"But Fluttershy should have said something!" Pinkie said.

"Oh, was that the little yellow pegasus?" the dragon asked." She's got quite the tenacity, I'll say. Staring me down and asking me to leave. You're lucky you've got such a brave friend. She _knew_ I was sick, but once she saw me disregard the rest of you, a little fire a dragon could admire burned within that little pony."

"Oh my, I would never have thought that Fluttershy would have gone to those lengths to help us." Rarity said.

"A dragon can admire that sort of spunk, so I decide that it wasn't worth the trouble to be harassed by you ponies anymore." The dragoness said.

"We're really sorry about that." Pinkie Pie said. "I even made you a 'we're sorry we ran you out' cake!" the mare then produced a double tiered cake.

"Sorry Ms…" Pinkie said.

"Efreet." The dragoness said. "But do you really expect me to be content with a cake so small?'

Pinkie hopped up with the cake, as if to get it closer to Efreet's mouth. "Go on, try it!" she urged.

Efreet then snatched the cake between two of her talons and ate the entire thing in one bite. "Oh my." She said. "That was absolutely, the most amazing cake I've ever had!"

"Gemstone confetti cake for dragons!" Pinkie said, she then turned to the others. "Its one of Spike's favorites!"

"Those gems were some of the best I've ever tasted." Efreet said. "Where did you find such a delicious assortment?"

"Yes Pinkie Pie," Rarity said. "where did you find them?"

"Oh, you know, around." Pinkie Pie said. "Say Rarity, how much do I owe you for about a few bags of gems?"

"Ahem!" the older, robed pony said." "While it is all well and good that you 've made peace with Efreet, it still doesn't' explain how you got here with all the danger outside."

"What danger?" Rainbow Dash asked. "We didn't see anything except ash out there."

"So my Pinkie sense wasn't off." Pinkie said. "I knew there was somepony out there watching us!"

"Yes, there are plenty of monsters hiding in the mountains of ash." Sardon said. "They've been keeping the villagers from the crags.

The group gave a puzzled look at Sardon.

"I know it might be difficult to understand, but the ponies here _actually_ like all the smoke that Efreet here makes."

"It's true." Efreet said. "The villagers use all the ash left in these crags to help with their crops, so when the found out I was reason there was so much ash, they asked me to stay."

Sardon then turned and looked towards the exit of the cave. "But those things outside have been keeping the villagers from collecting any of the ash, so now its just piling up, giving more room for those centipedes to hide in."

 _Monsters?_ Rainbow Dash thought. _We can totally take them on! We've all fought a hydra before, how bad could this be?_

Not that I'm calling into question your strength, Ms. Efreet." Rarity said. "But why haven't you been able to stope these beasts?"

The dragon snorted a billow of smoke into the air. "They'll just hide from my fire breath." Efreet said. "And then I'll end up turning all that ash into glass."

"That last thing we want is for anypony to get hurt, so we sent out a request to Canterlot to see if they'd send some soldiers." Sardon said.

"Well, no need to worry." Rainbow Dash said. "Help has arrived!"

"What sort of creatures are we dealing with?" Kain asked.

"There are bout three of them, giant insects with many legs burrowin through the ash." Sardon said. "And they ain't that small either."

"Ugh," Efreet said, fuming. "If only they didn't hide every time I show my face."

"Just leave it to us!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Perhaps out party engaging these monsters can draw them out long enough to allow you to attack them." Kain said.

"I like your thinking, dragon pony." Efreet said. "What are your names?"

"Kain Highwind."

"Rainbow Dash."

"Rarity."

"Pinkie Pie."

"Very well, I shall follow through with this plan." Efreet said. "When all three of them are in the open, I'll make my move."

/

Rainbow Dash led the group of ponies into the ashy mounds around the mountain, contemplating her plan of attack.

 _Alright, all we got to do is just get the monsters to come out and fight, so that Efreet can toast them._ Rainbow Dash thought. "So we just have to fight these only long enough for help to show up." She finished in a whisper.

"Are you nervous Dashie?" Pinkie Pie said, making her friend jump from the interruption. "Where's the whole, 'let's kick some flank!' Dashie? She's so fun on these adventures."

The party entered a denser section of ash. Rainbow had unfurled her wings to make a jump across a gap.

"Is something wrong, Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked. "You don't seem to be as… excited as you normally would be for a fight, to put it simply. You seem a bit flustered a bit recently, is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong!" Rainbow dash said in an outburst. "I mean, it just that," _Come on, give them a reason._ "I can't fly much right now, what with the ash, so its really starting to bug me."

"Oh, I can't imagine what it must be like for you." Rarity said.

"Yeah, especially since you know you can fly but you _can't._ " Pinkie Pie said. "Like if I _want_ to make all sorts of cakes for everypony, but the Cakes have already done it."

"Look, I'm just trying to be careful is all." Rainbow Dash said.

Kain approached her as they made their way down a slope. "You know, you're a lot more careful than you were before." He said. "You were scanning for trouble as we traversed those woods on our way here."

"I just don't want to look stupid." Rainbow Dash said.

"Do not worry how others might judge your concerns, worry more that they should be around to judge them at all."

 _He's going dark on me again._ Rainbow Dash thought. _Just like the last time._

"All that I'm saying is," Kain said. "Its fine to have these cautious thoughts. It means that you are not as inexperienced as you were before."

The two of them slid down a slope to a flat portion of the ash.

"That doesn't make you any less brave." Kain said.

Rainbow choked back a bit. "Hey, I'm not scared or anything!"

"I wasn't implying that." Kain said before the ground shook and something grabbed him and began pulling the dragoon away from the rest of the group.

"Kain!" Rarity cried out.

Rainbow Dash took flight and caught Kain's foreleg and tried to wrestle him backfrom the creature in the ash. "Let go of him!" she yelled, rising higher in the air with Kain in her grip.

The creature and Kain were but hoisted up from the ash revealing the whole centipede. Kain un holstered his spear and swung at the monster, causing it to release him.

Combined with the pull from Rainbow Dash, he was sent flying away from the action towards Pinkie Pie and Rarity. Fortunately, he was able to re-align himself into landing instead of crashing.

After turning back to look at the centipede, Rainbow Dash glared. "You're mine!" She unsheathed Canterburn.

The centipede lashed out at her in turn. _Oh no you don't!_ she thought as she brought her shield to bear.

The attack glanced off and Rainbow Dash immediately counter attacked.

The sword didn't cut through the carapace, but it did knock the monster back a bit. _Wow, that thing is tough._

The centipede readied for another strike, but then found its face covered in yellow goop.

"Why would you want to snack on ponies when there's all sorts of other things much yummier?" Pinkie Pie called out from a distance.

The creature only shrieked as it descended back into the ash to rid itself of the batter that had bombarded its face.

"Though to be fair, not everypony likes mustard custard as much as I do." Pinkie said.

The centipede erupted a short moment later from the ash, this time aiming at Pinkie Pie. The confectionerer hopped over the attack as the creature missed and sunk back down into the ash, only for another centipede to make an attack from behind the pink mare.

Rainbow then grabbed Pinkie just before the maw of the second creature could close on her friend.

"Weee!" Pinkie yelled in joy from being rushed through the air.

"That was too close." Rainbow said as she set her friend down. As she landed, the raptor noticed the state of her wings. Rainbow then took a moment to shake some of the ash from them with some flaps.

Three centipedes then emerged and encircled the two ponies. Pinkie Pie brandished her cannon.

"Don't worry Dashie, I got this!" she said. And unleashed a barrage of battered shots against the centipedes as they attempted to close in on them.

While an effective deterrent, one centipede had been gaining ground, getting ready to lunge.

Kain then landed on its head. His spear had impaled the creature through its chitinous armor, but it hadn't' stopped the centipede from flailing about in order to rid itself of the dragoon.

The other two centipedes took notice and made their way of their way over to the potential snack in a tin can.

Rarity slid down to meet with Pinkie and Rainbow Dash. She noted Rainbow struggling to rid her wings of the debris. "Darling, I think I might be of help." She then made a large, etherical magical comb appear and pass through Rainbow Dash's wings. It sifted out the ash in one sweep.

"Whoa." Rainbow said.

"I discovered that I could make this a few nights ago." Rarity said. "It did wonders for my mane and tail."

Rainbow turned to look back at the battle. _Kain's still got problems._ She thought as she saw the dragoon bounding between each of the centipede monsters. She took off once more to attack the enormous insects.

She flew in with her sword, striking one of the monsters, it was enough to distract them so Kain could recover his weapon that was still lodged in one of them.

Once again though, each of the centipedes dove into the ash with a splotch of custard on the ground where the descended.

"There's gotta be a way to keep them on the surface." Rainbow Dash said.

"We're simply running into the same problem Efreet did earlier." Kain said, as the two of them returned to Pinkie Pie and Rarity.

"Got any ideas?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Oh certainly." Rarity said. "Your armor is just lovely, but perhaps you could try something different with your mane."

"No, I mean the monsters." Rainbow ash said. "There's' got to be a way to slow them down."

"Slow." Kain said, mulling over the word. "Rarity, do you think you could use your magic to slow these monsters?"

The ash around them began to rise. The party took notice and split up to separate the attackers. Rarity ran with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie with Kain.

"I know I'm a white mage, but I still don't even know what these spells Kain keeps telling me about ar." Rarity said as she and her pegasus friend dodged a centipede jumping out of the ash.

Rainbow jumped on the creature's head, forcing it to retreat. She then landed and continued to gallop with Rarity. "Too much ash in the wings again."

Rarity once again conjured a magical comb and let the ethereal implement pass through her friend's wings.

"Maybe that's it," Rainbow Dash said. "You should just try to do things your own way."

Kain and Pinkie Pie, meanwhile, had managed to enrage toe other two monsters. The centipede's shrieks, drew their third member back to them and away from the two mares. In the distance cannon fire could be heard and the figure of a pony bouncing up and down upon the centipedes' heads.

"That's it!" Rarity said. "'I've been inspired for another garment!"

"Rarity, I meant using your magic for the fight." Rainbow Dash said.

"No, that's just it dear." Rarity said. "Quickly, help Pinkie and Kain for as long as you can, make sure that those creatures are stay in site all at once."

"That's kind of the point, Rarity." Rainbow Dash replied.

"Yes, exactly. I'll make _sure_ they stay out." Rarity said.

"Alright then." Rainbow said and took off to join the fray. _I hope you know what you're doing._ The pegasus galloped back as fast as she could. _Gotta save my wings for when I need them._ She drew her blade and charged for the tail of one of the centipedes.

With one strike, the monster's attention was now on her. Even if she couldn't fly, she still read the movements of the creature. Rainbow dodged lunge from the centipede and swung Canterburn at the side of the monster.

There was an audible pop as one of the legs went limp. Rainbow Dash then swung again before the centipede could counter attack, causing another pop.

 _Gross._ Rainbow Dash thought and then noticed that the centipede was moving slower now. "Hey guys! The legs! Hit them in the legs!" she yelled.

Pinkie and Kain then changed their tactics. Drawing the front pincer legs to try to clamp down while debilitating the legs. Kain used his spear to break them while Pinkie shot dough at the joints.

"Please clear the way!" Rarity called out from a distance. "My latest work is ready for its debut!"

The three other ponies zig zagged through the center of the fray, then out and away, luring the centipedes crashing into each other as they lunged.

As the monsters attempted to gain their bearings, large pieces of magical cloth came moving across the ash, covering and capturing the centipedes. Rarity then made a large, etheric needle appear. She sewed the pieces together into what could only be described as a large, magical sweater.

From the outside, everyone could see the semi-transparent garb fold about, leaving the centipedes scrambling to get out.

"Efreet, we got them trapped!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

The red dragoness came shooting out of her cave. "I've got you now!" she roared. Efreet picked up the magical apparel and brought the creatures into the air. She stopped, then the dragon tossed them above her before she incinerated them into ash themselves.

She then returned to the ground, with Sardon Saddles making his way down the slopes of ash. "Wow, that sure was a bright show you put on there."

"You certainly are resourceful." Efreet said. "So, what is this whole 'Eidolon' business you have with me?" she asked.

"We're looking for someone who could be the Eidolon of Fire." Rainbow Dash said. "I saw you in some weird vision." She stepped forward to where the dragoness had landed.

"We were sent on a mission by the Tree of Harmony." Rainbow Dash said, continuing. "It said that something big is going to happen in Equestia, and that we needed to find all of you and be ready."

Efreet put a claw to her chin. "Well, I'm not sure about the whole, 'big thing' coming to the world. But if the very ponies that ran me out of so long ago helped me get revenge on the insects, give me a gem cake, and actually apologize; then I suppose I'll aid you with my fiery breath."

"Wow, thanks Ms. Efreet!" Pinkie Pie said.

"We thank you for your aid." Kain said.

"That reminds me." Efreet said. "Why are you dressed up looking like my kind?"

"I'm a dragoon." Kain said. "We emulate the skills and combat of dragons."

"And Kain totally made a pledge to use the powers of a dragon named Deist a while ago!" Pinkie said. "Now he can jump into the air and land on meanies' heads!"

"So, you know Deist then?" Efreet said. "And now you can take to the skies like a dragon?" she blew a smoke ring out. "Well then, lets' just see what I can do for you, dragoon."

Efreet then faced the dragon knight. "Kain, will you use my power to show the might of dragons?"

Kain knelt and lowered his head. "I will, Efreet."

"Well then." Efreet said and a red glow encompassed the dragoon and dragoness.

When everything returned to normal, Rainbow Dashed eyed them with a puzzled look. "So, are you going to be able to jump even higher now or what Kain?"

"Oh, he'll be able to do much better than that." Efreet said. "Breathe deep and exhale into the sky."

Kain followed her directions, and when he let his breath out a bust of fire erupted from his mouth.

"Wow!" Pinkie exclaimed. "He didn't even have any chili peppers!"

"Use this gift well." Efreet said.

"I shall, Lady Efreet." Kain replied.


	10. Deeper Concerns

Deeper Concerns

"So, who exactly are these eidolons we're looking for?' Trixie asked "What sort of pony would be living down here anyways?"

"Well, that's just it." Twilight said. "Some, or maybe all of the eidolons might not even be ponies at all. Applejack got an unexplained feeling that we should be back in these mines."

 _There it is again._ AJ thought as her hooves tingled with magic. "The magic's gettin' stronger." She said. "Ah think we're close to where we need to be."

"Are you sure?" Twilight asked. "I can't see beyond here." She illuminated the area to see the rocky end to the path. "Dead end."

"Please don't say 'dead'." Fluttershy said.

"Doesn't look like there's anything else here. Now what?" Trixie asked.

"Ah'm sure there's somethin here." Applejack said.

"Where?" Trixie asked frustrated, waving a hoof at the wall.

 _Not again._ Applejack thought _Just because it's a 'gut' feelin doesn't make it any less true than fancy unicorn magic._ She put her hooves to the wall. "Ah'm tellin ya, there's' something raht here at this spot."

Then the wall shifted and revealed a cavern filled with teal colored gems radiating light. The "wall" then lurched toward the center of the room. It was a huge bipedal creature made of stone. A smaller one of its kind called out to it.

"Look dad, ponies!"

The larger golem turned around to see the party as they entered the chamber.

"Told ya." Applejack said, side eyeing Trixie.

The larger stone creature turned to the party and addressed them. "So," he began in a slow, rumbling voice. "What brings you all the way to this dwelling?"

"Pardon us comin over here," Applejack said. "But we were lookin for some special folk called the Eidolons of Harmony. Ya wouldn't happen to be one of them would ya?"

"Perhaps I am." The golem said. "Its been such a long time since I've spoken to anyone other than my family." He then sat down.

"We were asked by the Tree of Harmony to seek you and the other eidolons out." Twilight said. "I'm Twilight Sparkle, this is Applejack, Fluttershy and Trixie Lulamoon." She pointed at each of the party members.

The giant mulled over the information.

"Guardian, elemental, eidolon. My connection to the earth has been timeless, but very rarely has anyone come to see me, or remember my name. I am Titan." The eidolon said. "Though being known hardly matters, as long as I have my son."

He stood up proudly, revealing his massive stature. "I will join your cause, but first I require your aid."

To which the smaller golem waved at the party. "Hi! Remember me?" he asked in a voice unfitting of his youth.

"You have met before?" Titan asked.

"Yes, we passed through these mines a month ago." Twilight said. "Your son wanted to… play, but our friend made some toys for him instead."

"Ah, so you were here before those flans stated to grow in numbers." Titan said. "Before then, I'd let Rocky journey about these caves. Nothing could really bother a rock eating golem, but one day, the flans tried to attack my son."

"Yeah, Ah know the feelin." Applejack said. "Them varmints tried to eat me."

"So you've seen them then" Titan asked. "I know not why they have been so aggressive as of late, but their numbers are growing as well as their hostility. I have stayed here, protecting my son, but I cannot go and crush the lot of them myself."

"Do you really need to do that?" Fluttershy asked, turning away slightly.

"Something has been lost about them." Titan said. "And more importantly, I must protect my son. They creep from every corner, and my attempts to leave the cave have been stalled."

"We'll help yer son out of here." Applejack said. "Just tell us what we need to do."

"There must be a larger flan somewhere in these tunnels." Titan said. "they're all gathering in one area. If you can distract them long enough, I can get Rocky far away from here."

"You can come with us to Ponyville." Twilight said. "We're already trying to get all of the eidolons together."

"I accept your offer." The eidolon said. "You have my thanks, but also a warning. Though they are of my domain, even I would not hesitate to eliminate those creatures."

Fluttershy looked at Titan, confused and saddened.

"Too many slumber in the ancient earth because they aren't willing to go this far to protect themselves." Titan lamented. "I know that this is a sad thought ponies, but sometimes we are not allowed the luxury of time or invulnerability."

/

Titan had been speaking with Twilight about where the two groups would meet after the plan went underway. Applejack mulled over the situation.

 _Didn't think such a huge creature was only a child._ "Titan's a whole lot bigger than his son."Applejack said.

"Wouldn't be the first time somepony's made that mistake." Trixie said.

"Oh, raht." Applejack said. "So now we've got to deal with more of them flans? That's just great, here Ah thought we were done with them."

"Mr. Titan said we only have to distract them." Fluttershy said. "Just until they get out."

"But we all know just how dangerous those things are," Trixie said. "They're not going to hesitate to try to eat us."

"Trixie's raht. Whew, didn't think Ah'd say that." Applejack said. "But Ah just want ya to know, this don't make you some sort of monster or something, remember Fluttershy, this whole mess isn't yer fault."

Twilight rejoined the group after her conversation with Titan. "I used homing spell to help Titan find Ponyville once he knows he can leave."

"So, we're bait?" Trixie asked. "Trixie thought there would be more glamor in being a warrior of light."

"Yer still new to this whole, 'doin the raht thing', Trixie." Applejack said. "But usually it means ya gotta tough it out and get dirty sometimes."

The fighter turned to the princess. "So where are we going now, Twilight?" she asked.

"Titan said there's a chamber not far off from here that he can feel the flan amassing." Twilight said. "So we can take a path he blocked off to get there."

"Just _howmany_ flans are we talking about?" Trixie asked "If what we fought before was just a taste of what's to come, then they might even give Trixie a run for her money."

Applejack turned with a brow raised. "Ya mean ya just can't blast every one of them varmints? But Ah guess tain't much good to rely on only one pony."

"Maybe Fluttershy can call more bats?" Twilight asked. "Any animals out there that can help us?"

"If they're out there, I haven't seen or heard them." Fluttershy said. "All I've seen were the bats, but I told them to leave the caves because there were so many flans."

"Don't stop looking, Fluttershy." Twilight said. "We can use all the help we can get." She turned to the eidolon. "Titan, we're ready to head out."

Titan lumbered over to the side of the room from the "entrance" and removed a boulder to reveal another path like the one that led into the chamber.

"The flans are not far." He said.

"Remember the plan." Twilight said. "Once you sense the flans moving away from here, use the path we came through to get out of these mines and go to Ponyville."

"Good luck ponies." Titan said.

/

Applejack's party moved through the recently opened path and once again navigated by unicorn horn light.

"Ah'm gonna have to remember to bring some lanterns next time we set out." Applejack said.

"Trixie's horn is bright enough thank you very much." The black mage said.

"Tain't that." Applejack said. "What if we got split up?"

"That's a good point." Twilight said. "Let's try not to get separated, alright?"

The group continued on the path, searching for any signs of flans lurking, but it was as barren as the tunnel earlier.

"Are you sure those things are through this tunnel?" Trixie asked. "It doesn't look like there's a drop of slime anywhere."

"They've got to be somewhere." Twilight said. "I trust Titan to have told us the truth about the flans."

"Titan said he could feel them through the ground. Ah hope there ain't some sort of trap waitin for us." Applejack said, squinting to view further down the path.

"I don't think we should worry about that." Twilight said "The flans seem pretty single-minded." Then the princess stopped in her tracks. "There's something odd about the tunnel further down."

For the most part, light form the unicorns' horns had shimmered down the tunnel, but now there was something ahead of the group that blocked the light.

"Ya reckon we've got flans comin up in front of us?" Applejack asked.

"It looks stringy, rather than slimy to Trixie." She said. "Almost like-"

"Webs!" the rest of the party yelled in unison.

"Oh good, I was wondering where the spiders had gone!" Fluttershy said. "Oh, I hope they're okay." She then moved to the webs.

The rest of the party looked apprehensively at the mare. "Well, come on! We have to make sure they aren't like the flans."

Twilight and Applejack reluctantly pressed forward along with a slightly confused Trixie. Upon reaching a denser mass of webs, the group stopped while Fluttershy trotted ahead.

 _Why would ya bother so much with these critters Fluttershy? "_ Don't ya remember how much trouble they gave us when we first came through?" Applejack said.

"Hello, spiders?" Fluttershy said. A pony sized spider appeared from its hiding space and slowly made its way towards the now unnerved group.

"G-g-g-giant spiders!" Trixie managed to say, doing everything she could from screaming.

Fluttershy, however, remained unfazed and addressed the arachnid that wore a bowler hat. "Are you safe from those flans?" she asked

The spider stopped and removed his hat, holding it solemnly in front of himself. "Oh no." Fluttershy responded.

"What's wrong, Fluttershy?" Twilight asked.

"It hasn't gone well for the spiders here in the mines." The beastmaster said. She turned to the spider who'd chittered to her before. "I'm so sorry. There's something terrible going on Henry. Something making some creatures act strange. You and your friends need to leave before more flans come through here."

The spider put his hat back on and nodded in agreement. He then plucked at one of the strands of web. Dozens of spiders wearing hats emerged.

"Gah!" Trixie yelled.

"Now you all need to leave, Titan is leaving these mines. So you can follow him out." Fluttershy said.

A horde of spiders skittered past the party. Trixie fell over from shock rather than being knocked over by any of the passing refugees. In the end, five spiders stayed behind with the pony party. Henry chittered at Fluttershy.

"Thank you so much for staying with us." Fluttershy said. "We should get going."

/

The tunnel seemed to go on and on. Ponies walked underneath spiders that crawled along the ceiling of the tunnel.

"Were you here this whole time?" Fluttershy asked.

Henry responded in his chitinous chatter.

"Oh my, that's terrible." Fluttershy replied.

 _Ah still don't get how that girl gets the nerve to talk to every creepy critter that she meets._ Applejack thought. _Especially one that went and jumped us the last time we were here._

"Say spiders," Applejack said. "What was that deal with y'all tryin to rough us up the last time?"

Henry chittered and Fluttershy trainslated. "He says they were told to slow us down by some bug ponies."

"Changlings." Twilight said.

"That the spiders were promised a reward, but they didn't get anything." Fluttershy continued. All the other spiders let out a week dwindling chitter. "They're all very sorry about that."

"Well, just so ya'll know, Ah'm not gonna stand for any funny business this time around." Applejack said.

"AJ!" Fluttershy said, turning with a shocked look that surprised even the spiders. "That's mean!"

"Ah'm sorry Fluttershy." Applejack said. "Guess Ah just don't like bein tricked is all. Ah should be a better mare about it." She wore a reserved look. "We gave Kain a chance, so why not ya'll?"

"And don't forget you gave Trixie a chance as well!" Trixie added.

"Yer raht, Ah can't let myself get all worked up over the past when somepony wants to help." Applejack said. "But it ain't easy when you've been hurt before."

"That's part of making friends, I supposed." Twilight said. "Some friendships form easily, but others take work even if you may not have gotten off on the right hoof before. Everypony deserves a chance." The princess turned and smiled softly towards Trixie.

Before long, the party found itself entering a large cavern when and the light from their hornlight stopped reflecting off the walls.

"Its pitch black as far as the eye can see." Twilight said. "What about you, spiders?"

The arachnids chittered and Fluttershy translated. "Henry says that this room should have glowing rocks in it. But there aren't any."

"Hold on, Trixie will see." The black mage said. She then began to prepare a spell and launched it into the air. A brilliant light flashed upon the walls of the chamber, revealing a mosaic of color on the cavern ceiling.

"It looks like the bottom of a desk somepony stuck a bunch of gum underneath." Twilight said.

"Consarnit." Applejack said as the "gum" began to slide about and shift.

In a series of plops, the flans had hit the ground with a splat and then reformed themselves.

"That's a lot of them." Twilight said in disbelief, but then regained her composure. "We can do this."

The party then braced themselves for the oncoming engagement, only for the flans to congregate towards the center of the great chamber. The creatures climbed upon each other, forming a huge mound of slime, easily the size of large building that was painted in splotches of blue, yellow, and red. The creature formed a mouth, arms, and eyes much like the smaller parts of the whole.

Trixie was the first to react to the lumbering mass by firing a lightning spell at it. The far cavern walls flashed like daylight as electricity struck the creature's right arm. Yellow dust flew into the air and a few gaps could be seen where the spell left its mark, only for the holes to be sealed by neighboring flans.

Fluttershsy had already spoken to the spiders, sending them away from the party and scurrying up the walls.

"Where are they goin?" Applejack asked.

"They're going to make some webs to help slow it down." Fluttershy said and she took to the air. "By the way, I need you to go with Henry."

"Wait, what?" Applejack asked. "Ah'm not gonna leave the others with that monster here."

The beastmaster turned to her spider friends. "Will the plan still work if AJ doesn't go with you right away?" she asked, to which Henry chittered back. "Okay then. I'll go with them for now." Flutterhsy said and followed the spiders.

Twilight had begun using her book to strike out against the monstrous flan, setting off small explosions but otherwise not doing much else.

Trixie sent out more lightning and ice. The spells lit up with blue and white light in an impressive spectacle but did little to the great flan.

The monster then took a swing at the earthbound ponies. Applejack swung with a flaming strike of her ax. Her weapon only passed through the other flans that it didn't outright annihilate.

Twilight, Trixie, and AJ then retreated from the giant flan to another part of the cavern.

"Ha!" Trixie yelled. "Its going to have to take a while to turn around now!" Then the flan inverted its face with its back and resumed its steady approach. "Ponyfeathers."

"It's not like before." Twilight said. "All the smaller flan seem to be diminishing our attacks."

Over here!" Fluttershy called out from another portion of the cavern. "Get it to run over here!"

The trio backpedaled while using their attacks to fend off the flans, but the monster was becoming more aggressive in its attacks. AJ had to use her backdraft attack just to block the swings of the flan's arms, and by the time the three ponies had reached the place Fluttershy had called out, they were already beginning to wear themselves out.

"That thing ain't showin any sign of stopping." Applejack said. At that moment, a sheet of webbing fell on top the flan, and the monster noticeably moved slower.

"Well, that will buy us some time." Twilight said. "But we're not really making any progress."

"Even Trixie's spells are barely doing anything!" The showmare said.

"Keep moving!" Fluttershy called out. "The spiders will help us!" She flew to another section of the cavern.

"I guess if we run out of magic for spells, we can always use some of the crystal fangs Kain gave me." Twilight said. And puled out a sharp blue crystal and flung it at the flan behemoth.

The resulting explosion sent a shock wave that the trio had to brace against. An arm form the great flan fell off, but only the red and yellow splotches remained on the limb, which had began to pull itself to the group.

"What was that, Twi?" Applejack asked. "That sure weren't no normal spell."

"Why aren't we using more of these?" Trixie asked awhile pulling out a red fang and hurling it at the flan.

The shard exploded weakly by comparison and left significantly less damage. "What gives?"

Once again, the group had to evade the monster as it closed in to try to trap the ponies. It was about to strike again but another layer of webbing fell on the creature.

Twilight then grabbed another fang and was about to throw it when Trixie put a hoof on her. "Your book is lighting up!" she said.

"What?" Twilight replied, looking at her tome. "I wonder if its powering up the fangs?"

The arm was still continuing its advance, unhindered by webs. Applejack swung her ax engulfed in flames. The attack staved off appendage, but otherwise the limb was intact.

"Try it again, AJ!" Twilight called out.

"Alraht." The fighter said, taking another flame wreathed attack. This time, Twilight held her tome in the air and made it glow red as to prepare for a fire attack. The flame around AJ's ax grew white just before she hacked at the arm. Every bit of red on the arm flew apart in shards, but the remnant of the limb continued to lunge however.

Trixie shot off a lightning bolt at what was only a yellow blob now, dissipating the remaining piece.

"Whoa doggie, that did it!" Applejack exclaimed.

"Its my tome!" Twilight said. "It can augment any attack even those of others! Trixie, give me an ice spell!" She looked at the black mage with panic. "I mean shoot an ice spell at the flan!"

"One fantastic frappe, on its way!" Trixie said, issuing forth a flurry of frozen magic. Like before, a path of ice jutted out along the ground. Twilight then augmented the spell with her tome, causing the ice to reach even higher off the ground.

The flan moved its remaining arm in front of itself, sacrificing its limb in an explosion of blue mist.

"Applejack, get that arm!" Trixie yelled out.

"Are ya crazy?" AJ cried out.

"Just trust Trixie!" the black mage said.

AJ lunged with her weapon, she was beginning to feel light headed from all of her fiery attacks. The blow landed. _It won't work without Twilight, Trixie._ She thought to herself, just as her whole mouth tingled and she was deafened by the sound of thunder.

Instantly the arm had been vaporized in fire and lightning., leaving only a torso of a flan remaining. AJ could barely hear the muffled conversation of Twilight berating Trixie.

"Wh- -i- -ou do –at?" Twilight yelled.

"Tri-ie w-ly tr—ng to h-!" Trixie replied.

"-ou -oul- ha- -it -er!" Twilight said.

"-ut Tr—di—n't!" Trixie replied.

AJ had barely gotten to her hooves when her hearing came back.

"Oh no! AJ look out!" Twilight yelled.

The great flan engulfed the fighter in its maw. The beast looked content as it assumed its upright position and continued to the other two ponies.

"AJ, no!" Fluttershy cried out from the air. Seconds later, Henry and the other giant spiders repelled down their strands of web and began thumping on the flan's head.

The monster merely looked up ad chomped on the spider like a fish would have to an insect on the water's surface. The web line stuck out from the flans' mouth as it made its way to search for its next snack.

"What do we do now, Twilight Sparkle?" Trixie asked in a panic.

"We can't do anything that might hurt them." Twilight said. "Our magic might be too strong, who knows what'll happen on the inside."

Then they noticed that the web that Henry had grew taught instead of simply being pulled to the ground A bulge began to grow form the flans' back and a loud, squishy pop sounded as Henry and Applejack emerged.

Henry then Pulled Apllejack up with him to the ceiling.

"That's enough!" Appljack yelled. She and Henry then came down upon the creature with her ax ablaze.

The spell casters on the ground only had seconds to react to use their own elements at the same time as AJ's attack: Twilights book glowed yellow while Trixie sent out a blizzard spell. All at once, goop exploded everywhere.

A small pink flan was left where the massive flan once stood.

"Ah!" Trixie screamed. "Don't let it get away!" Shen then readied her magic for another attack. "I don't know what you're weak to, but we'll find out soon enough!"

"Wait!" Fluttershy said, landing in front of the mini flan. "I don't think there's anything wrong with this one." She turned and looked down at the creature, barely substantial enough to move about without arms or a face.

"Now you're not going to try to eat anypony or spider, are you?"

The mini flan minutely wiggled from side to side.

"Good, because yo know what happens if you act badly, you start getting mean. Besides, there's all sorts of strange rocks for you to try. Just leave everything else alone, okay?" Fluttershy said. With a smirk.

"The main flan nodded and slinked off.

"Yer just gonna let it go?" Applejack asked. "It tried to eat me, ya know."

"Call it a feeling, but its different now." Fluttershy said.

Trixie only stared as the feeble blob disappeared from view.

 _Additional Notes:_

Trixie's black magic is fascinating to study despite the fact that elemental spells _already_ exist. Her ability to evoke these spells without so much as any perceived practice in spellcraft is enviable. I have to wonder why or how she can readily use destructive magic. Her performer lifestyle doesn't lend itself to destructive spellcasting, if anything it only makes itself known when you see her ice or lightning spells. The ice sparkles like a prism and her lightning gives off a strobe-like yellow and blue flash. It makes me wonder if she does that on purpose.

Still, if her magic isn't connected to her performer career, like Rarity's white magic, then why was she chosen to wield such powerful magic without an advanced spellcasting background? Certainly, a well-studied unicorn, or alicorn for that matter would have been a sufficient candidate for "Black Mage". I mean, it's not as if Trixie has been expertly trained in sorcery.


	11. Crossroads Crosswinds

/Rainbow Dash/

"So, you're coming back to Ponyville with us?" Rainbow Dash asked.

The fiery dragoness held her claw in the air. "Well, that's odd." Efreet replied. "I thought you didn't want me cover your town in ash?"

"Right." Rainbow Dash said.

"Ms. Efreet, if I may." Rarity said. "We happen to have an acquaintance who can send messages through dragon fire. You see-"

"He's a baby dragon!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "Spike sends out letters all the time!"

"Interesting." Efreet said. "Well then, you can send word for me when you need me."

"Dragons, baby dragons, ponies who dress like dragons. Never a dull day!" Sardonic Saddles said. "But I think you all are probably fixin on going home now?"

/

The party began their trek back to the wagon. Rainbow Dash pumped a hoof in the air. "Yes! We found an Eidolon! I bet AJ's team is still looking." Her foreleg slacked. "Wait, what if they already found theirs and their on their way?" She sped down to the rest of the group. "We've got to beat them home!"

"Calm down, darling!" Rarity said. "We've only left Efreets' cave and you act as if we already know where to find the next eidolon!"

The raptor put her hoof to the back of her head. "Heh, yeah. I guess you're right. But still, we found an Eidolon!"

"We're on our way home!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Good thing too. I was running out of snacks!"

The party boarded the wagon, and the two earth ponies set to navigating them out of the crags.

"Ah can't wait to tell the others the good news. Thanks for the help!" Sardonic said.

"Really, Sardonic, we should be thanking you." Rarity said. "If you and the other ponies of Cajun country hadn't been so amiable to Efreet, I doubt she would have been willing to hear us out."

"I would have never thought of it that way." Kain said.

"Sometimes you look at the bigger picture and miss the fine details." Rarity said. "Like a dress with so many seams that hold it all together. The finished product only exists because of the details."

/

The wagon made its way down to the fire fields. Rainbow Dash again. _Can't be too careful. Those chimeras are sneaky._

Sure enough, she noticed movement in the brush coming towards the wagon. She quickly sped down the party. "Hey, the chimera are back again." She said.

The wagon stopped short of the fiery fields when Pinkie and Kain noticed their flying friend descend.

"Don't worry Dashie, I'll just make some more of my cheesy dough and we'll-"

Pinkie cut herself off when her tail twitched. She pushed Kain before he could see a broken log come crashing down. Soon, the group of chimeras from before were upon them

Rainbow Dash unsheathed Canterburn. _Alright, if it's a fight you want._

Kain regained his bearing after Pinkie got off of him. He took to the sky in a flash.

"What in Equestria Is wrong with you?" Rarity yelled. "Can't you leave us in peace?" A chimera with red fur then jumped at her. The white mage leaped from her spot on the wagon, while grabbing her staff. She incanted another magical sweater to encumber another of her attackers, a dark furred chimera.

The spell lasted only long enough to tangle the chimera briefly and it began its charge once more, only to be blasted by Pinkie's cannon.

That was when the third, green furred chimera approached from behind Rarity. It's maw opened, ready for a stealthy chance to sink its teeth into her, only for a flying, armored stallion to crash into it.

The dragoon and chimera skidded off along the fire fields from the blow.

"Rarity, get your boots!" Pikie yelled.

"Oh, of course!" Rarity replied and levitated the set of fire boots. "But what about you, Pinkie?"

"Don't worry! Those meanines won't keep me from bouncing over the hot spots!" Pinkie said.

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash parried the many swipes the chimera tried to hit her with. "Hey! Don't be mad we stopped you the last time!" the raptor yelled but the monster growled and continued it assault.

 _Something's wrong here._ She thought and slashed at the chimera. The beast roared but charged again.

Pinkie Pie shot a blast of her cheesy dough, but the chimera shrugged it off.

 _The chimera were all sneaky before. Now they're just trying to eat us._ Rainbow Dash noticed something about the heads of the monsters. They all seemed intent on one thing. Before, there was a look that at least they showed they could be talked to, but now it was lost. _Its like they've forgotten who they are. Like they're just an animal._

A cold chill ran down Rainbow Dash's spine before she dodged another blow. The red furred chimera was gaining ground on the group. She readied her shield.

"Back off!" she yelled and charged her attacker. Rainbow Dash used her wings to propel herself as if she were taking off to the air.

The raptor and her target flew several feet before the monster put its feet in the ground to halt itself. Rainbow Dash was about to back away when the snake head of the chimera bend around her shield to bite at her neck.

Rainbow Dash swung her blade, severing the head from the rest of the monster. She didn't spend much time watching the body part write on the ground as the beast lashed out in a counter attack.

 _This is no good._ Rainbow Dash thought, blocking yet another strike, which jarred her from her defensive stance. She took to the air and then attempted to charged with her sword.

The chimera only welcomed the attack with an open maw and Rainbow was forced to bring up her shield and back off.

"Unicorns have it easy." The pegasus said. "All they have to do is use their fancy magic." Rainbow Dash then felt a twinge of magic in her wings. "That's weird." _It sort of felt like when I buck clouds._

The chimera glared for a moment before leaping up at her.

"Oh, this is gonna be stupid." Rainbow Dash said and then held out Canterburn and pointed it at the chimera. Rainbow felt her pegasus magic channel from her wings through her body and into her blade. She swung and a blast of wind shot out from her sword, colliding with the airborne chimera.

It was no ordinary gust of wind. It didn't even appear as a puff of air, it was as if the fast-moving tear of wind raced from Canterburn and cut into the monster. Rainbow Dash hung in midair, surprised at her own attack and its effects. Shen then charged at the stunned enemy.

Meanwhile, the other two chimera were still continuing their charge at the other ponies. Pinkie Pie casually hopped over the green chimaera's attacks while Rarity tried to slow it down with her magic.

"Pinkie, why isn't your batter working?" Rarity asked. "Dunno, Rarity." Pinkie replied as she bound over another swipe. "They don't seem interested in the cheesy stuff."

The cannoneer landed from another attack, but a burst of flame halted her movement long enough for the green chimera to close in.

To make things worse, more columns of fire spat out at the inopportune time. Rarity could see that Pinkie didn't have anywhere else to go. She knew that an armored pony like Kain could handle himself, but Pinkie didn't have any armor.

The chimera was feet way when Rarity cast her magic at their friend. The monster had knocked Pinkie down and pushed its face into her barrel. There was an audible crunch that drew the attention from both Kain and Rainbow Dash. Silence hung in the air as the chimera stopped, and the Pinkie giggled.

"That tickles!" she said and her clothes glowed with an aura of Rarity's magic. The lion's maw of the chimera was devoid of teeth.

The monster, however, didn't stop from charging using its goat head. Pinkie then fired a barrage of batter at the chimera's fee, sticking it to the ground The confectioner didn't stop until only the faces of the green chimera could be seen in a huge mass of batter.

Kain had been menacing his adversary with his spear, hoping to keep the brown furred chimera's attention on him. When he heard the sickening crack, his looked way long enough for the chimera to jump him. His spear was knocked away and his legs were pinned by the chimera that towered over him. He felt his leg being twisted and fractured from the attack.

The dragoon took a deep breath, only with the foul air the chimera was breathing in his face. Kain let loose a blast of fire.

Rainbow Dash recognized the sound, one of bones breaking, she'd heard it before she there were accidents with pegasi crashing. But to se her friend at the maw of a chimera meant something far worse. Even if it was spit second distraction, she turned to see the red chimera pouncing her.

Rainbow Dash wanted to go see if her friend was… and in that moment, she lashed out. The raptor send wave after wave of slashes through the air. The first few strikes tore into the chimera, even cutting off one of the goat head's horns, but the onslaught didn't end. The blasts of sharpened air continued to cut into the chimera, staggered it, and at last knocking it off balance.

 _Did Rarity help you?_ Rainbow thought and turned to the other mares to notice the green chimera covered in Pinkie's batter, with both her friends unharmed. She was about to let out a sigh of relief when she remembered Kain.

She turned to see the dragoon pinned underneath a chimera, and then a gout of fire erupted through the chimera. The beast fell over, pushed by Kain who rose to his hooves, stumbling to get back to his group.

The chimera continued to attack and hit Rainbow in the back. She grunted from the blow and then began to fly circles around the monster, Rainbow held her sword out as she flew. The magic grew in her blade and then a whirlwind of light encircled the chimera. When the wind dissipated the monster lay on the ground, unmoving.

When the party rejoined, they saw the remaining chimera thrashing, still trying to escape.

"It's gone completely crazy." Rainbow Dash said.

"Indeed, it has lost its mind." Kain said. "I remember when the creatures of my world acted like this."

"But what happened?" Rairty asked. "They were much more civil when we passed through before. Well, as civil as one could bet about eating ponies."

The chimera only glared from its position and then attempted to lash out when Rainbow Dash moved closer. It didn't break free, but it put everyone on edge.

Kain readied his spear but staggered from his broken leg."

Kain, you're hurt!" Rarity said, moving over to support him. She focused her magic to levitate him over and into the wagon.

"I hadn't realized how bad it was." Kain replied. "I think we should return home while Rarity heals my leg."

"Come on, Pinkie." Rainbow Dash said, moving to the front of the wagon and putting on a harness. "Let's get going."

Her friend trotted over and the two of them began to lead the wagon through the fire fields. They stopped for the night when they left the burning, forested area. Despite her best efforts, Rarity was till trying to adapter magic to heal Kain.

"I'm not going to give up so easily." The white mage said. "Sure, it isn't a torn garment, but I'll figure out how to do this"

"You've got this Rarity." Rainbow Dash said, and she and Pinkie set to putting up a camp for the night.

 _This is weird._ Rainbow Dash thought. _Pinkie's been so quiet the whole way back._

"Yeah Dashie?" her friend replied as she set up the cookware.

 _But her mane isn't even flat._ "Is something wrong?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Nope, not really." Pinkie Pie replied. "Got something on your mind?"

Rainbow was augh off guard. This whole time she though that the last battle might have been too horrific for her friends.

"Pinkie, that last fight." She began while rubbing the back of her head with a hoof. She tried to find words. "What we did. What Kain and _I_ did."

Pinkie stopped what she was doing and focused on her friend. It wasn't a scared or worried look, just one of a pony paying attention to her friend.

"Those chimeras weren't going to stop." Rainbow Dash said. "And then I saw that third one go after you, I thought…" she paused.

"I had to get to you. To make sure you were safe." Rainbow said and looked away from Pinkie. "I didn't think I could do that."

"Do what, Rainbow Dash?" Pinkie Pie asked. "I had to _stop_ that chimera, like Kain did." Rainbow dash said. "Not like how you did. They're not alive anymore."

Pinkie came up to her friend and hugged her. "You did it to protect us." She said. "It must have been scary."

It had dawned upon Rainbow Dash. _Is this what it is. I'm scared?_ She hugged back, tighter. "Yeah it was."

"You're a brave pony, Rainbow Dash." Pinkie said.

/

The next morning, Rainbow Dash woke up from the campsite to fined Kain preparing their gear for travel once more.

"Kain, you're alright!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Rarity was able to work her magic into a spell she needed to repair my injury." The dragoon said. "That mare is exhausted from all of her endeavors. Her dedication is admirable."

"Hey Kain, can we talk?" Rainbow Dash asked as Pinkie continued to snore loudly. "But someplace else?"

Kain was using a whetstone to care for his spear while, for some time, Rainbow paced back and forth.

"So, that fight yesterday." She began. "I don't know why, but I feel really weird about it."

Kain looked up at her. "Were you not confident in your abilities?" he asked before returned to maintaining his gear.

"Well, actually, I figured out some new fighting moves." Rainbow Said.

"And did you fight well?" Kain asked.

"Well, yeah." Rainbow Dash replied. "It wasn't until the fight was over that I felt weird."

"This was your first kill." Kain said plainly.

"Yeah." She replied. "But why didn't I feel this way after the centipedes?"

"Because this was by your own hand, or hoof rather." Kain said.

"So, what is it?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Am I going to feel guilty for… _killing_ that chimera?"

"I wouldn't call it guilt." Kain said. "I would call it taking ownership for your actions. An enemy threatened those you cared about. You saw no other course and you did what you had to do."

"Does it ever get easier?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"You've come to grips with the necessity of battle, Rainbow Dash." Kain said, placing his shield on his foreleg." But guilt is different. It haunts you because you've wronged someone else, but what matters is that you must try to make things better.

"That makes sense." Rainbow said. "No sense in dwelling on the past if you're trying to make tomorrow better."

"Not an easy lesson to learn." Kain said. "But I did have some persistent teachers."

Rainbow Dash's newfound skills with her blade are not entirely due to the Tree of Harmony. She's been taking lessons on swordplay from Kain, but that's not to say there hasn't been an unobserved change to her abilities. Her innate pegasus magic, and to a further extent, her experience on the weather team has given her access to some interesting techniques.

She's able to conjure literally sharp blasts of wind as she swings her sword. Much in the way Applejack channels her earth pony magic through her ax. Rainbow Dash uses her control over weather to create wind, but she needs her sword to do it, at least in theory. I ascertain that a weapon is being used as a spell focus, like wands and rods for complex spells.

Then there's that tornado she reportedly made by flying circles around the chimera. Again, it looks like she is doing what comes naturally, all those water spouts she's helped crate on the weather team was a frame for this attack. She included her air slashes in the technique to attack from all sides. It is so fascinating that my hypothesis of our skills being derived from us as the ponies we were before this started.


	12. Convening

/Applejack/

"Ah can't wait to get back home." Applejack said. "Ah just wanna hit the hay."

"I wouldn't think you'd be so tired Applejack" Twilight said.

"Yeah, well. Turns out that makin ma ax catch fire is just as hard a work as buckin a few dozen trees at the same time." Applejack said.

The party walked outside of the mine entrance and back into the forest.

"Trixie already has a bed in her wagon. Oh, how she can't wait to sleep!" the showmare said.

"Where is your wagon Trixie?" Fluttershy asked.

"It's only a few minutes from here." Trixie replied. "Being a travelling performer has its perks. Your bed is never far away from you."

"Doesn't it get lonely, always being on your own?" Fluttershy asked.

"Trixie supposes it does, but as long as there is an audience, Trixie is in the best company." She said.

"Its almost nightfall." Applejack said. "So, let's hurry so we can get back home."

"Well…" Trixie said hesitantly. "Trixie does have some extra amenities at her wagon, though she's never actually had company _at_ her wagon."

"Well Ah'll be." Applejack said. "Ah'll take ya up on yer offer. Ah've got some food we brought for the trip. Yer gonna get some good old Apple family cookin tonight."

The party arrived at a clearing among the trees. Trixie stopped in her tracks. "Oh dear." Fluttershy said. "Where's your wagon?"

The showmare then reached forward and pulled a sheet off her now visible wagon.

"Wow, that's a great trick!" Twilight said. "You did that without any spells?"

Trixie used her magic to fold the camoflauged fabric. "After what happened the last time we met. Trixie decided it was probably better to go back to basics like the performer she is." Trixie said, sending the cloth into her wagon. "Its funny actually, that she's using magic so much now."

She turned to Applejack. "The pots and pans are in the top cabinet!"

Applejack entered the wagon. _Not what Ah was expectin. Not nearly as many pictures of herself as Ah thought there'd be._ She thought and used a step ladder to get to a star patterned cabinet. She found a pot and removed it before exiting.

"Ya know Trixie, Ah didn't realize this, but you probably have done a lot of cookin yerself huh?" Applejack asked.

"Oh yes, its so much cheaper too! Then there are the times when Trixie doesn't like what's being sold in the towns she performs at."

"Well, Ah'm sure you can't say no to whatever Ah'm cookin." Applejack said.

"Trixie's seen her share of things she'd rather not eat." The showmare said. "But she'll trust you."

Applejack got to cooking and making a soup. And as the four of them sat down to wait for the food to cook, more questions were asked.

"Well, that's one eidolon found." Twilight said. "I wonder if Rainbow Dash found the one she was looking for."

"Ah'm pretty sure she's already done by now and is back in Ponyville waitin to see if she beat us to it." Applejack said.

"Do you think that they had to fight?" Fluttershy asked staring at the embers of the campfire licking the cooking pot."

"Ah reckon they probably did." Applejack said. _No use in sugarcoatin this._ "if we had to fight, then they probably did too."

"But why?" Fluttershy asked. "Why would somepony want to fight so much, even to the…"

"It's not easy to explain."Twilight said. "This is probably why the Tree of Harmony gave us these powers. So that we'd stand a chance."

"To protect somepony else." Trixie said, drawing the attention from the others. "Trixie thought being powerful meant being the best but not anymore." She served a bowl of stew and went towards her wagon. "Being powerful means doing whatever we can, even if it scares us."

 _Who is that mare?_ Applejack thought.

"What happened to you, Trixie?" Twilight asked.

"You wouldn't believe Trixie if she told you."

/

The next morning, the party spent an uneventful time trekking back from the forest to Ponyville.

"Ya know Twilight." Applejack said. "Ah can't help but think about all of these adventures we end up on. Nopony would ever seem like they go through the things we do."

"It sort of feels like we're the ones who keep getting entangled in everything." Twilight said. "I wonder if it has to do with the Elements of Harmony."

Rain had begun to fall. Twilight then cast a spell to shield them as they trotted.

"I wonder about that too." Fluttershy said.

 _Bein the bearers of the elements was nice and all, but it just feels like we never stop bein asked to go on one adventure or another._

"Do you ever think we'll stop doing this?" Fluttershy asked. "One day, we'll just have our normal lives back?"

"I'm not sure what is 'normal' anymore." Twilight said. "Look at how all the elements had brought us together. I'd say we might not be the ponies we are today if it weren't for them."

"Well, maybe some of you might enjoy the peaceful life," Trixie said. "But this mare can't wait to head out into the world with these new powers." She glanced to the others. "You know, _after_ we save Equestria. Really, what's wrong with having a way that sets you apart from the rest?"

"Ah hear ya there, Trixie." Applejack said. "Ponies from all around know the Apple family name." AJ said. "We just don't go showin off is all."

"Well, Trixie is in _show_ business after all." Trixie said, while twirling her rod around in her magic.

"I guess what we do with our gifts after all this is up to us." Twilight said, turning to Fluttershy. "And as long as we have them, we have a responsibility to use them to help everypony."

/

Applejack had expected to find Rainbow Dash and the dragon she saw in her vision when they returned to Ponyville. Instead, she saw Titan, his son Rocky, and plenty of townsfolk gathered in a cautious circle around the two stone golems.

"I think they're getting better at welcoming newcomers." Twilight said.

"Well, at least they ain't hidin in their houses this time around." Applejack said.

The party made their way to the stone eidolon, to which the crowd parted ways to allow the mares closer.

"Wow, this is a warm reception." Trixie said.

"Bet yer glad it isn't for you, huh Trixie?" Applejack asked, only for ponies close by to shift their attention to the black mage.

"Oh, come on!" Trixie shouted with her forelegs thrown in the air. "Trixie's only been back for five minutes!"

The crowd murmured. "Why does she look like that?"

"Is she evil again?"

"Do you think _she_ sent those stone monsters?"

"Stop that!" Fluttershy shouted, snapping at the crowd. "You're not being fair to Trixie or our new friends!"

"Well said, little pony." Titan said.

"But who are these creatures?" A mare fearfully asked.

"Maybe you should ask them." Fluttershy said.

"I'm always up for a good chat." Titan said.

"But they're… look at them. Aren't _you_ scared of them?"

Fluttershy briefly recoiled nervously at the question.

"Well, have they done anything since they got here?" she asked.

It was the mare's turn to look hesitant. "Well, no."

"I know what its like to be scared." Fluttershy said. "But even I'll give most ponies a chance. Especially if they aren't acting scary at all."

"So, what about Trixie?" another pony from the crowd asked.

"Trixie isn't going to be causing any trouble for anypony." Twilight said. "Isn't that right, Trixie?"

The black mage blinked her eyes. "Oh yes, Trixie is going to behave herself! Honest!" she held out her left foreleg as if making a pledge.

And as if on cue, the crowd looked directly at Applejack.

"What? Am Ah some sort a lie detector or something?" Applejack asked. Then she shook her head. "Look ya'll, she doesn't sound like she's lyin, okay?"

The crowd, losing their accusatory resolve, began to disperse, those that stayed saw the eidolon and his son approach the party.

"We're sorry bout that." Twilight said. "We thought that the townsfolk would have learned to behave around newcomers."

"I guess some ponies might still be a little wary of strangers." Applejack said. "Um, no offense, Trixie."

"Oh, Trixie gets it." The showmare said. "She _did_ take over the town last time. Not the best way to treat an audience."

"Still, the ponies today weren't so bad." Titan said. "I remember a time when everyone was scared of me, and they would have done more than stare at me."

"Still, you should feel welcome!" Twilight said. "You're going to help us save the world!"

"Have the other eidolons felt welcome?" Titan asked.

"Well, the thing is, yer the first one we've brought here." Applejack said.

"Don't worry, we'll make sure you both feel welcome here." Fluttershy said. "Oh, and you too, Trixie." She finished just as the black mage raised a hoof in protest.

/Rainbow Dash/

Upon her party's return to Ponyville, the pegasus flew ahead of her group to see if hers was the first to return. Before she could reach the library, she saw a group of colts and fillies amassed around a somewhat familiar figure.

The raptor flew down for a better look. All the foals were playing with the rock monster from the mines. He didn't look nearly as intimidating as the first time they met. But weirder yet was the mare that seemed to have a line formed leading up to her.

 _Who the hay's got so much attention?_ Rainbow Dash looked at the unicorn that entranced the youngsters. Her appearance threw the raptor's train of thought off.

The unicorn had some sort of magic covering her face, but there was no denying the starry hat and cape. But before she could inquire incredulously, Rainbow noticed another important thing. Trixie wasn't terrorizing anypony. The showmare twirled her magic rod with her levitation and afterwards, a rush of frigid air flew out.

Trixie had the magic spell fly about and then form into a tiny cloud which then snowed over a cup. The foals in front of her cheered in awe of the spectacle. Not done with her show, Trixie then spun around to show some containers of syrup.

"Pick a flavor, any flavor." Trixie said.

The foals began to shout all at once what they wanted, and Trixie began giving away the treats.

Rainbow Dash landed and trotted up to the showmare. "Alright, what's going on this time, Trixie?" she asked.

"Well, that's cold greeting." Trixie replied. "What's the matter, trying to upstage Trixie's frosty performance?"

"What? No!" Rainbow Dash said. "I'm just wondering why you're back in Ponyville!"

"Well, isn't it obvious? Trixie asked. "Trixie is going to save the world!"

"What?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Oh yes," Trixie continued while still passing out snow cones. "Trixie was _specifically_ asked to help you and your friends. Why, if it weren't for her, they might still be stuck in those old diamond dog mines."

"Wait, Applejack's group made it back? Before me?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Oh, does Trixie sense some jealousy?" she asked coyly. "Well, maybe you could bring Trixie with you if you want to get things done." She whirled magic snow in to a cup and poured various syrups. "Snow cone?"

Rainbow Dash snatched the treat with a wing and eyed it suspiciously. "So what's this?"

"Oh you know, a little community service from the lovely and repentant Trixie." She moved in closed and whispered. "Still Great and Powerful when needed."

"Oh, so you're all nice now." Rainbow Dash said.

"Yes." Trixie replied.

"To everypony?"

"Certainly, at least to those who don't try to eat Trixie."

"Then I guess you'll have no problem being nice to these two colts." Rainbow Dash said with a smug look and moved over to reveal Snips and Snails.

Trixie stammered before regaining her composure. "Yes, can Trixie help you?"

The shorter colt rubbed the back of his neck before timidly asking. "So, can we have some snow cones Ms. Trixie?"

"Sure…" Trixie said before getting to work with her magic. With just as much flair and showmareship, she made the treats for the two colts, keeping silent the whole time however.

"Here you go." Trixie said. "And sorry about the amulet getting the better of Trixie."

"Thanks Trixie!" Snails said, taking the snow cones with his magic.

"Trixie hopes you can forgiver for using that dark magic." She said. "Really, volunteer or not, she shouldn't have done that." Trixie took off her hat, dispelling the dark aura that had masked her face.

"We forgive you Trixie." Snips said. "We like your shows, and we'll try not to do anything crazy anymore."

"Thank you." Trixie replied.

 _Whoa, who are you and what have you done with the real Trixie?_ Rainbow Dash thought. And the magician sent the pair off. "Wow, I didn't expect you of all ponies to be this…" she tried to find words.

"Humble, nice, forgiving?" Trixie said.

" _Not_ Trixie." Rainbow Dash concluded.

"Hey, Trixie is more than just her performance and title!" she said.

"Yeah well, being a little nice here and there isn't enough to make me think you aren't the same old Trixie."

"That's fair, you being so insightful doesn't have Trixie convinced you aren't the same Rainbow Dash!" Trixie said.

"Hey!" Rainbow said. "I'm not that bad, I-"she was cut off by the approaching hoof falls of her friends."

"Oh, Dashie's definitely gotten better!" Pinkie said. "She even got two character-building adventures!"

"Wait what?" Rainbow Dash asked, confused.

"In any event, we should be heading back to discuss affairs with Twilight." Kain said. "We still need to find six other eidolons."

"Wait, where's your eidolon?" Trixie asked. "Didn't you bring them back with you?"

Rarity popped out from the canopy of the cart. "Oh, hello there, Trixie." She said in her most cordial of tones. "Miss Efreet couldn't come back with us because of some, complications. But she did say we could call on her when the moment was right."

"Yeah, we should get moving and start finding the rest of the eidolons." Rainbow Dash said.

"Well, everypony else is at Ms. _Sparkle's_ library already." Trixie said. We've already found the Eidolon of the Earth, Titan, otherwise known as Rocky' dad.

The smaller golem made his way over to the group of adventurers. "My dad's gonna help you ponies stop the bad guys!" he said, and then pumped a fist into the air. "Come on, come on! Let's go talk with Dad!" and he began to make his way to the older golem.

The rest of the party followed, wondering where their journey would take them next.


	13. Cold and Comfort

Cold and Comfort

The group returned to the library and found that Twilight's meeting was already underway. Everyone that _could_ fit entered, leaving Rocky outside with his father to peek through the windows, creating a strange sight for the town ponies that passed by.

"Well, now that everypony is back, we can get back to finding the next eidolons." Twilight said as she added check marks to her board.

"Hey Titan," Applejack said to the eidolon that was sitting outside, peeking in through the library's window. "Ya wouldn't happen to know who the eidolons would be, would ya?"

"If you don't mind, can we speak someplace else?" the eidolon said. "It's a little difficult to talk with all of you from here."

Twilight blushed. "I guess it was a bit silly of me to try and hold our meeting in the library."

"Plenty of space at the farm." Applejack said.

"Outdoor meeting!?" Pinkie asked. "This calls for a picnic! Come on Fluttershy, let's go to my place and get some snacks ready!"

Fluttershy only had a confused look before her friend grabbed her and she let out an "Eep!"

"Snacks? I'm in!" Rainbow Dash sped off to follow.

/

Pinkie moved in a blur to prepare what she considered to be "only a few things.", meanwhile, Fluttershy was dicing some vegetables for a salad.

"Don't you think this is a bit much?' Fluttershy askes while grabbing a tomato with her wing and placing it on the cutting board.

"No way, Fluttershy!" Pinkie exclaimed. "We've got a crowd to feed!" She closed the oven doors with her tail. "Besides, have you seen how much Kain eats""

"Wait, he likes to eat?" Rainbow Dash asked. "He actually knows how to enjoy something?" She grabbed a cupcake from the counter before Pinkie's tail swatted Rainbow's hoof and the treat landed back with the rest.

"Oh yeah!" Pinkie said. "He never really let's anypony see him eat so much, especially Rarity, but he's ordered his fair share of sweets from the Sugar Cube corner."

"You got him hooked." Rainbow Dash said.

"Just like a certain mare I know." Pinkie replied, lining baskets with fabric for the picnic. "Hmm, somethings missing."

"What else could you possibly need?" Rainbow Dash asked. "You've got more than enough food for everypony. Well, except maybe for Titan." Rainbow Dash put a hoof to her chin. "What would he eat anyways Fluttershy?"

She had barely finished one salad before putting down her knife. "I'm not sure really." I mostly know about all sort of animals, but not stony golems."

"I got it!" Pinkie burst out. "I've got just the mare to help us out!" She sped out of the room in a pink blur, leaving a mixing bowl spinning on the counter, and returned with a paper and a pencil. She sat about writing frantically.

"My sister's gonna freak out once she gets this letter! She'll be here so fast, I think the train might be _too_ slow.

"Why would your sister be excited?" Rainbow Dash asked, while reaching for a cupcake again.

Pinkie folded her letter up. "Because my sister, Maud Pie," Pinkie then launched the pencil with her tail, knocking the cupcake from Rainbow's hoof yet again. "studies rocks for a living! She's getting her degree in rockology! She's going to be super-duper excited!"

Pinkie then grabbed a muffin from the display counter and opened a window to the bakery. To which she held out the pastry and her sealed letter. A grey pegasus mail-mare flew by and grabbed the items.

"Where was I?" Pinkie asked. "Oh right, what else to bring to the picnic!"

"I don't know, I think this is enough." Fluttershy said as Pinkie was moving things to the cart.

"You've got everything here except ice cream!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Ooh, you're right Dashie!" Pinkie said. "We can always use a chilly treat!" She then froze, fixated on the thought.

Her friends stared at her, worried why the normally, hyper party pony held her position.

"Hey, Pinkie, what's going on?" Rainbow Dash asked as she flew over and waved a hoof in front of her friends motionless."

"Oh dear, I don't think I've ever seen her this still, not since the time with too many Pinkies." Fluttershy said.

"Do you think we should call Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked, turning away from her entranced friend.

"You sort of looked like this too." Fluttershy said. "When we were at the library before you told us about the dragon."

"Wait, so is Pinkie seeing where the next eidolon is?" Rainbow Dash asked, turning back to Pinkie, only to see the pink mare missing. "What the-?"

Pinkie popped up from behind Rainbow Dash. "Sure did, Dashie!"

"Gah!" Rainbow let out, taking to the air in surprise.

"The next eidolon is near Yakyakistan! Didn't see anypony's face, but a _really_ pretty snow castle!" Pinkie then sped to load everything else for the picnic, including perfectly timed pastries from the ovens that dinged, one after another.

"Come on, let's go tell everypony!"

/

Twilight had just moved the meeting to the open fields near Sweet Apple Acres when Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash pulled up to the group with a wagon full of food and coming to a screeching halt.

Fluttershy had barely caught up when Twilight finished staring down the array of food. "Pinkie, you didn't need this much!" Twilight said, exasperated.

All the while, Titan leaned over to the wagon. "Ooh, what a selection!" He grabbed one of the cupcakes ever so carefully between his gargantuan fingers. "You surface dwellers have quite colorful foods."

The eidolon grabbed another and gave it to his son while trying his own treat. "Not quite as crunchy as rocks, but it tastes good!"

Pinkie beamed at the compliment. "Glad you like my baking! But just wait until you try my sis' treats!"

"Yer sister is comin along with us?" Applejack asked.

"Nope!" Pinkie replied. "She's a rock expert! I asked her to come over to meet Titan and help him and his son out here in Ponyville."

Twilight rubbed her chin. "Well, I suppose that makes sense. But we still have the matter of figuring out where the other eidolons are."

"Don't worry, Twilight!" Pinkie said. "I already know where the next one is!"

"Its some place called, Yakenstan." Rainbow Dash said.

" _Yakyakistan_." Pinkie said, correcting the raptor.

"Oh good!" Twilight said. "So, who is the eidolon out there?"

"I have no idea!" Pinkie said. "I only saw lots of snow and a snow castle!" her response earning a few flat looks.

"What about you, Titan?" Twilight asked. "Are you acquainted with any eidolons, you might know who we'll need to find."

Titan sat down and rested his face on his fist. "Being under the earth for so long hasn't helped me with getting to know anyone." He said. "I only knew one other eidolon, that of the sea. But it's been such a long time that the mantle could have passed to someone else in all that time."

"Well, could you please tell us their name?" Rarity asked.

"The Lord of the Sea, Leviathan." Titan replied, to which Kain's attention directed towards the eidolon.

"What's wrong Kain?" Twilight asked.

"There's a pattern to the eidolons' names." He replied.

"Really? How?" Twilight flipped the chalkboard she brought out to the field.

"I thought it only to be a coincidence before, but _three_ names cannot be random." Kain said, to which Twilight levitated a piece of chalk for Spike to take notes. "On my world, _I_ freet was a demon-like man who possessed the power of fire."

"Hey, _E_ freet is the name of the dragon who turned out to be the Eidolon of Fire!" Rainbow Dash said.

"What 'bout Titan?" Applejack asked.

"I remember that eidolon all too well." Kain said. "Like Efreet, Titan appeared more human in my world. Titan here, appears to be made entirely out of stone.

"A little moss here and there as well." Titan replied, running a hand through his "hair".

"And now you've named Leviathan." Kain said.

"So where do you think Leviathan might be, Kain?" Rarity asked.

"On my world, the eidolons lived in a realm of their own, so I cannot say for sure where any of them could be." Kain said. "But the eidolons here seem to be in different places."

"What 'bout their names?" Applejack asked.

"The summoner who traveled and fought with us on my world called forth many eidolons. I can remember few, but she did not share much of her knowledge with me." Kain said.

"You know a lot about eidolons, but you said that mare wouldn't tell you about them." Flutteryshy said. "Why would somepony who you travelled with not trusty you- oh, I'm sorry." She covered her mouth with her hoof before whispering. "I forgot about your past."

Kain sighed. "If only I could fault Rydia's mistrust for being a traitor, but I wronged her and her people." Everyone around stopped what they were doing and solemnly listened.

"It was out of a terrible decision Cecil and I made. We were supposed to deliver a signet to her village in order for my friend to regain favor with the king. We were so naive to think it was so simple. We ended up unleashing a fire that killed most of the people in her village." Kain ground a hoof into the earth. "Save for one girl, Rydia."

"Wow, that's awful." Rainbow Dash said.

"I can't really blame her for hating me." Kain said. "Even after we became comrades, I didn't believe she ever fully trusted me."

"Did your try talking to her?" Twilight asked.

"It was after that day that I swore to no longer be a pawn. Perhaps I should have placed my efforts in other places." Kain said. "Instead, I feared talking to Rydia any more than I needed to because of the shame, and for that I lost out on a true friendship."

Rarity approached the dragoon and put a comforting foreleg over his neck and embraced him. "But a traitor is no longer who you are, no, never who you were." She said.

"What 'bout the princesses?" Applejack asked. "Have they got back to ya Twilight?"

Twilight levitated a scroll from a satchel she brought. "I think there's going to be a problem with that." She said. "I got a letter back from them, but I don't think they're going to be able to help us search."

"Well why not?" Applejack asked. "Ah think this is one of those times we'll need all the help we can get."

"In their letter, Princess Celestia and Luna said that they can't leave Canterlot." Twilight said, earing confused looks from the other ponies. "A long time ago, before the princesses came into power, two sets of unicorns were in charge of raising and lowering the sun and moon."

"Oh, I remember this story from when I was a filly in school." Rarity said. "So many unicorns lost their mage after weeks of exerting themselves, but I thought that was only an old legend?"

"No, it was very real." Twilight said and began drawing a model of the world, along with the sun, moon, and both princesses. "Because an alicorn has magic from all three pony tribes, Celestia and Luna can use a little magic from each source to manipulate the sun and moon.

"But somethings wrong now." Spike said. "I remember you pacing around the library when you read the letter after we got back."

She turned and gave a scowel. " _One_ crisis at a time, Spike." Twilight said. "Right now, the princesses said that they can't help us search because they have to use the old ceremony pedestals in Canterlot every dawn and dusk."

"But why haven't they at least helped us figure out who the eidolons are?" Rainbow Dash asked. "They've been around a long time, they should at least know who the eidolons are."

"Just like Titan said before," Twilight replied. "It's possible the title of eidolon could have moved to somepony else, or the princesses might not even know who they are. When I sent my first letter, they said they'd get back to me on that after searching the archives since they didn't know _who_ exactly the eidolons are."

"And they told ya?" Applejack asked.

"Another problem." Twilight said. "The whole 'raising the sun and moon' duty has been wearing them down. To the point where they're sleeping most of the day and night just building their strength back."

Rainbow Dash flew down towards Twilight and looked her in the eye. "And how does this not count as a crisis?" she asked.

Twilight held up a hoof defensively. "Hey, I only just found out about this in the letter they sent back! They said that they're too exhausted to help directly, but I _did_ tell them to let us know if anything else is happens. Right now, they don't want to cause any alarm, but they think that something with the eidolons must be tied to all this."

"Yes, that might cause more harm if everypony knew the princesses were in this state." Rarity said.

"And it might draw attention from your enemies if they knew Equestria's leaders were vulnerable." Kain said.

"Are there any other Eidolons' names you can remember?" Twilight asked.

"Shiva and Ramuh." Kain said. "Eidolons of ice and storm."

"So, this Shiva is probably the eidolon that Pinkie's gonna meet." Applejack said.

"Great! I'm gonna get ready!" Pinkie exclaimed, and then swallowed half a dozen cupcakes before grabbing Rainbow Dash, who was just about to bite into hers. "Come on, Dashie!" and the two sped off.

"I'll go with them." Kain said. "My fire breath might be of use in a frigid region if Pinkie's vision is right."

Trixie put down a piece of pie that she'd been focused on more than the meeting. "Hey, you're not the _only_ pony with fire around here!" she said. "There just so happens to be a mare whose expertise is fire magic!" she approached the dragoon with a haughty trot.

"Good, we'll need to be ready." Kain said, causing Trixie to stumble.

"I guess that settles it then." Twilight said. "You four will look in the frozen north for the next eidolon. The rest of us will see if we can get any other clues."

Applejack looked at the two remaining members of Pinkie's group. "Seems a bit lazy on our part. Lettin the four of them go without help. But Ah guess we gotta be ready to leave if'n one of us figures out where the next eidolon is."

"I know how much you want to help AJ, but at least it gives the rest of us some time to catch up in town." Rarity said, pouring some lemonade into a glass she'd gotten from Pinkie's cart.

"I've got to make sure all of my animals are fine before we have to leave again." Fluttershy said, but quickly added. "But I'm sure the crusaders did a great job with them while I was gone!"

"Well, without any other leads, I guess we can take a breather until we figure things out." Twilight said, also grabbing a glass of lemonade. She turned to her board and looked it over. "Now, I wonder if there's a pattern to where the eidolons have been found and their elements…"

/

Pinkie had once again, managed to pack everything for their next rip in a matter of minutes.

"You didn't forget to pack your warm coats for the north, did you?" Rainbow Dash asked, watching Pinkie move in a blur.

"Nope!" Pinkie exclaimed. "I got everything I need, even the thermal underwear Rarity made!" and pulled out a set of pink tights from her bags, causing the remaining contents to explode about the room.

Pinkie rapidly shoved everything back into the container. "No colds this time! What about you, Rainbow Dash?"

"I've still got the suit Rarity made for me." She replied. "But with metal armor? That's gotta be cold." She shivered with the thought.

"Maybe you should go see Rarity!" Pinkie said. "She made stuff for Kain to wear in the cold before!"

"Yeah, probably." Rainbow Dash said. "So, what do you think is out there, Pinkie?"

Pinkie was in the middle of packing another container. "Yaks, snow, ice, ice eidolons." She said.

"No, Pinkie." Rainbow Dash said, interrupting. "I mean like, monsters."

"What's the matter Dashie?" Pinkie asked. "I thought you were really excited to fight baddies?"

"I guess so, but sometimes I wonder if I'm good enough to help everypony." Rainbow Dash said, rubbing one of her forelegs nervously.

Pinkie put a foreleg over her friend's shoulder. "Rainbow Dash, you're not the only pony with super-duper crystal powers. We're all in this together! We took care of all those meanies before, _together._ "

"Yeah, we did, didn't we?" Rainbow Dash said.

"And we're gonna keep watching out for each other!" Pinkie said and hugged Rainbow.


	14. Party Planning

Party Planning

/Pinkie Pie/

The confectioner was busy packing provisions and pastries into her saddlebags and cart from the back of Sugar Cube Corner, while an ever-prepared Twilight Sparkle was running down her checklists.

"Okay, so that's food for a few weeks for four ponies. Back up rations for extra days. _Back up_ , back up rations for anypony in need."

"Check, check, and check!" Pinkie said as she tapped each of the crates she packed. "We got everything we need!"

Twilight levitated another piece of paper on top of her current checklist. "Well, actually there's a few more things I'd like you to take." Twilight said.

Pinkie gasped. "Twilight, have you been…cooking? You should have told me you were practicing! Oh, I take back what I said about your science dorkiness!"

Twilight wore a look of confusion. "Wait, what?"

"It's so nice of you to be making something for the rest of us to take on our adventure!" Pinkie said, interrupting.

"No Pinkie I made a few things for you to bring along, not really _food_!" Twilight said, waving a hoof in the air before levitating items from her saddle bags. "Well, it's not _really_ cooking."

Pinkie sped up and halted with an odd recoil in front of Twilight to see what her friend brought. Twilight spoke, "Ever since Kain started talking to me about his world's magic. I've been trying to see what ideas we could replicate for Equestria."

"Ooh, like what?" Pinkie asked.

"Well, some items, like those gold needles Kain used to save the crusaders from being turned to stone, I haven't got those quite right, but there are others." Twilight brought out a small, spherical vial with florescent green liquid.

"Healing potions I've been able to re-create. These will probably be useful since you won't have anypony able to use any healing magic." Twilight said.

"Ooh, neat!" Pinkie sad, taking a flask. "I bet I could make some healing cakes with this!"

"I'm not too sure." Twilight said, trying to hold back a frown. "cooking the potion might affect it somehow."

"Oh well!' Pinkie said, tossing the potion perfectly back into Twilight's saddlebags. "So what other tricks do you have?"

Twilight rummaged through her saddlebags with her magic. "Well, I've also been _researching_ other curatives like ether potions and ones that can cure ailment, like petrification." Twilight said. "I _do_ have antidotes ready in case somepony gets poisoned, but I don't think that should be a problem where you're headed."

"What about a frost-bitten pony?" Pinkie asked.

"Eh-heh, I don't think I made anything like that." Twilight said. "But, that's a really good idea." She brought out a quill and a paper to take notes. "Why didn't I think of those?"

Pinkie pulled her head from Twilight's saddlebag, taking a peek while the princess was distracted. "There's a whole lot more potions in here."

"Kain had quite a few remedies for paralysis, poisoning and even some bizarre items for unshrinking ponies and turning a pony back from a pig."

"Wow, that sounds silly!" Pinkie said. "I can't imagine how a pony could have that happen to them!" Pinkie rubbed her chin. "Then again, there was the time Bulk Biceps was a bear, _so…_ "

"Magic can be strange, I don't think I need to tell you that." Twilight said.

"Well yeah, but what's the big deal about being a piggy, I bet it'd be fun!" Pinkie said.

Twilight gave a smirk and aimed her horn and Pinkie. After brief pink, puff of smoke, the party mare was pink party pig with small puffy magenta tuft for a mane.

Pinkie squealed and popped in her usual manner around Twilight. The alicorn could have sworn she heard music playing as well as Pinkie "oinking" along with every bounce. She then sent another spell to reverse the transformation.

"Wow Twilight, you're good with your magic!" Pinkie said. There was a brief delay after the smoke cleared, but then Pinkie floated in the air before her limbs stretched and shrank. Her tail curled out to her "normal" Pinkie appearance, her legs went back into pony hooves. Pinkie shook her pig snout back into a pony muzzle.

"Yeah, I was trying out the spell after Kain told me about the magic spell that existed in his world. I can't believe that ponies over there use transformation magic so liberally." Twilight said as she put a hoof to her chin. "He was actually pretty insistent that I'd learn how to reverse those effects."

She then levitated two cases onto Pinkie's wagon, making audible clinking with their contents. "Anyways, this should be a good number of potions for your journey."

Pinkie attached herself to the cart and began towing the supplies to the Carousel Boutique.

/

When the store came into view, Twilight and Pinkie saw Rarity and Kain at the entrance She was rushing in and out to fill his saddle bags with one item after another, each time Kain was about to speak, she'd go back for something, silencing him.

"Aww, that's so sweet of her." Pinkie said to Twilight, just out of earshot of Kain. She then yelled out to the dragoon. "Ready to go, Kain!?"

The dragoon jerked his head in her direction, caught off guard. As Pinkie closed in, she continued with her questions before Kain could reply. "Loading up on supplies too?"

"You could say that." Kain replied, turning back, anticipating Rarity to be right in front of him. "Rarity seems to be in the mindset that I need every item she can find."

"Well, that's because you _do._ " Rarity said, appearing at the doorway, causing Kain to slightly jump. "Stallions tend to try to go with only what they _think_ they need. I'm just making sure you have what I know you'll need, darling."

"Well, we should get our stuff on the wagon then!" Pinkie said. "Wait, it's not here?"

"We won't be taking it this time it seems." Kain said.

"It suffered some wear and tear back in the fire fields." Rarity said.

"So we're just going to take all this stuff in Sugar Cube Corner's cart?" Pinkie asked, looking back at her cargo.

"Of course not!" a boisterous voice sounded. "The Great and Accommodating Trixie is here to help!"

The black mage turned the corner, wheeling her wagon to the boutique.

 _Oh, right. Trixie is coming along._ Pinkie held to herself. She then approached the showmare's wagon. "Are you sure we're gonna be able to fit everything in that wagon?" Pinkie asked.

"Of course! Trixie spent all day putting her things into Twilight's library." She said. "Thanks so much for taking care of Trixie's belongings!" She passed by a confused Twilight, who's only reaction was a, "Wait, what?"

Kain looked over the wagon. "I'm not sure how this will fair in the snow."

"Oh, it'll be fine." Trixie said. "Trixie's taken her show to more than enough snowy places."

"Is there anything else we'll need?" Kain asked.

"No, I don't think so." Twilight said. "Not unless you give me a week to come up with a frostbite-curing potion!"

"I'm not sure that would be a good idea to wait so long." Kain said. "Though we can't leave until everyone is here-"

He was cut off by Pinkie Pie. "In three, two, one!" and then she sidestepped to allow Rainbow Dash to land just next to her.

"Sorry I'm late, I had to get my stuff from the wagon back at AJ's."

The others simply stared and then continued on, having become accustomed to Rainbow's way making an entrance.

"Alright, are we ready to get going now?" Pinkie asked.

"Nothing, nor anypony looks to be missing." Twilight said.

"Well, I suppose this is goodbye for now." Rarity said as she gave Kain a hug and brief kiss.

"Don't worry, Rarity!" Pinkie said. "We'll be back before you know it!" and the group departed from their friend's company.

"Oh wait, I forgot something!" Pinkie said and then broke from her group and back towards Twilight and Rarity. "I forgot to give you all going away hugs!"

Her friends rolled their eyes while smiling and embraced Pinkie before she sped off again.

When Pinkie returned to her party, she casually slipped herself into the harness that pulled Trixie's wagon. "Ooh, comfy!" she exclaimed.

"Well of course it is!" Trixie said. "The Great and Powerful Trixie travels with the best accommodations!" To which a shutter from the window of her wagon snapped of its hinges. "…that she can afford."

"It's not too late to get AJ's wagon." Pinkie said.

"Trixie's wagon is perfectly safe!" the black mage said. "Now let's just get it loaded onto the train!"

/

The party had boarded their car and began to discuss their next part of their plans.

"So once we get to the crystal empire, we're gonna go _where_ exactly?" Rainbow Dash asked, while taking a sandwich from a serving cart that passed by."

"A giant snow castle!" Pinkie said. "It was really pretty and it was up on the mountains!"

"You said it was near a country called, Yakyakistan?" Rainbow Dash said after eating through half her lunch. "I've never met any yaks."

"Me neither!" Pinkie said. "I hope they like cupcakes, I've heard yaks can be a bit grumpy, but really, who could say no to a Pinkie Pie cupcake?"

"Oh, that's easy, how about no?" Trixie said.

Pinkie let out a gasp. "Gasp!". "You really don't want to try any!?"

"Trixie has a more reserved pallet, thank you very much. It'll take more than any cupcake to impress the refined and distinguished Trixie's taste!"

"I dunno…" Pinkie said. "Kain here really likes all the stuff I bake at work." She nudged the dragoon with her foreleg.

Not wearing his usual armor, Kain's face couldn't hide his reaction from the truth of Pinkie's words. "Well, she does bake very well." He said, stumbling to explain himself.

"Oh, come on!' Rainbow Dash said. "You're practically at her store _every_ morning!"

"And I suppose that's why I've had to train harder as of late." Kain replied, earning a chuckle from the other bearers.

"Well, Trixie isn't convinced." She said crossing her forelegs.

"Oh?" Pinkie asked. "How about a cupcake of your most favorite flavor?"

"What do you mean?" Trixie asked. "We've barely gotten to know each other and you presume to know what…Trixie…likes." She slowed down as Pinkie brought out a cupcake with a particular aroma. "Is that, peanut butter?"

"Yep!" Pinkie replied.

The black mage regained her composure. "Well, perhaps Trixie will try it then." She said as she unwrapped the pastry. "Best not to let peanut butter go to waste." She shoved the entire thing into her mouth. Trixie let out a blissful, "mmm." As she enjoyed the treat.

"Hm?" she let out.

"What's with you, Trixie?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Oh! It must be the extra-super-duper peanut butter batter that I used for the recipe!" Pinkie said. "I used some of that ever dough from my cannon to get the perfect peanut butter texture into my cupcakes!" 

Trixie quirked a brow with a frown. "Hrrrm?"

"I don't think you're gonna be able to say anything for a while, Trixie." Pinkie said, sheepishly.

The potions made in Kain's world come from quite an array of effects. On one hoof, the fact that they are more advanced than the majority of one's ponies use is intriguing and can offer some benefits to society. But on the other hoof, it reflects the turbulent nature of Kain's "Blue Planet". I sometimes worry that the need for so many different potions and tinctures is because of how war-like humans may be. This is all a guess though, since I've not been over there.

Rarity, however, did tell me that his world is quite beautiful from the one time she was transported there. Still, upon researching to replicate these potions, they are vastly different in their production, to the desired effects.

When analyzing Zecora's remedies, I've found that her potions are highly tailored to the affliction, much more medicinal in nature than the potions that Kain allowed me to study and replicate.

His potions seem much more like spells in a bottle. Though effective, they are also somewhat generic. This would indeed help in creating large batches of potions, but it again lends itself to worry me that there's a need for such quantities of potions.

Returning to the actual potions, healing potions seem to be similar to the white magic spells that Rarity uses, or any other healing magic for that matter, where a base liquid is infused with magic to speed up the healing process.

Other ailments essentially function as counterspells that have been added to a base potion. Replicating the specific potions Kain had required a bit of ingenuity on my part. I had to acquire the specific counter magic from the specific potion. _Which_ led me having to scientifically inflict myself with various ailments. Suffice it to say, antivenom magic was acquired very quickly, most definitely due to the immediate health risk. Anti-paralysis, thankfully was easily acquired since paralysis didn't affect my own spell casting.

The odd ones to deal with took a while to discern the correct countermagic. Kain's world having specific potions to cure being shrunk, turned into a pig, and a toad, were by far the strangest things I've ever heard of, but after spending much of my time practicing transfiguration magic before, my time as a pig and an amphibian weren't as long as it could have been.

I have not yet tried to replicate gold needles, for _personal_ reasons.


	15. Sensibility

Serpentine Sensibility

"You did _what_ now?" Twilight indignantly asked.

"Oh, don't over-react dear." Rarity said as she led the princes upstairs to her workroom. "You told us yourself that the clothes the Tree of Harmony gave us were only for show."

"Well yeah, but I didn't think you would try to do anything with them!" Twilight said, beginning to sound exasperated.

"Twilight dear, you make it sound as if I've committed some sort of sacrilege. I merely used the Tree of Harmony's design as an inspiration!" Rarity said, while opening the door.

Twilight wore the most shocked look she could give. "But this an artifact from the Tree of Harmony!"

"Yes, and I improved upon it dear." Rarity replied as she approached the ponyquine with her white mage robes. She levitated the clothing off and dressed herself.

Rarity hardly minded the look Twilight was giving her and instead relished in her work with a twirl and then turned to face her friend. "It does look so much better now, doesn't it?" she asked.

Twilight remained silent.

"The original design was a bit bulky, so I modified it into a cloak. I kept the hood, but all in all it does compliment my figure quite well, wouldn't you agree?" Rarity asked.

"Can you still cast your white magic?" Twilight asked cautiously.

Rarity quirked a brow. "Really Twilight?"

"I just want to make sure you didn't offend the Tree of Harmony and had your magic revoked or something!"

Rarity then magically stitched a barrier in front of herself. "Of course, I can, Twilight." She said. "I don't think I'd be punished by the gods for taking some creative liberties."

"I guess not." Twilight said.

"Good, now would you like for me to change up your clothes?" Rarity asked with elated enthusiasm.

"I'll pass, thank you." Twilight said. "Anyways, I'm still wondering about what eidolons we still have to find."

"I wouldn't try to rush into things." Rarity said. "I'm sure we'll come across another clue soon enough." She levitated her cloak back onto the ponyquine. "I'm headed to the spa. Twilight, care to join me?"

"I wish I could, Rarity." Twilight said. "But there are still too many experiments to run with my magic."

"Suit yourself darling." Rarity said. "I'll see if the other want to join."

/

"Really, Ah wish Ah could unwind with ya Rarity." Applejack said. "But there's still a bit of extra work to take care of, and Ah've gotta be here sellin some of the surplus crop Big Mac harvested.

"Goodness that _is_ a lot of apples." Rarity said, looking over the stocked stall."

"Ah don't know where ya find the time to go to the spa though, Rarity." Applejack said. "We only just got back in time to sleep in our beds for once and yer actin like it's just the weekend."

"Oh, heavens no!" Rarity said. "I was up late last night working on my latest fashion line!"

"Could 'a fooled me." Applejack said.

"Well, after our trip to Cajun Pony country, I was inspired to work on ash resistant clothing, or at least garments that are easier to clean." Rarity said, while levitating a piece of fabric from her saddlebags. "Now that I've settled that, a nice trip to the spa is what I need."

"Shucks, Rarity." Applejack said. "Pardon me for thinkin you weren't so busy, like mahself right now."

Rarity searched about the stall, the entire area filled with bushels of apples, until she found an extra wooden plank Applejack had. "I think I might be able to help you with that, Applejack."

The fashionista then levitated some paints from her saddlebags and began making a sign with the extra material. "What we need is a little something extra to draw in some customers, wouldn't you agree, dear?"

"Whaddya have in mind, Rarity?" Applejack asked and then leaned in to whisper. "Just know, Ah can't really bring down the price that much.

"How does a full harvest sale sound?" Rarity replied.

"That might do the trick, but maybe we'll need something else to get ponies to buy more than usual." Applejack said and rubbed her chin with a hoof. "Ah got it." She continued and stepped away to address the market.

"Stock up on yer fresh apples today and tomorrow! We've got a batch of apple preserve later in the week, get ready for winter with Sweet Apple Acres!"

Rarity wrote down her tagline. "Hmm, plenty…" and then levitated the sign in front of the stall. "Apples A'plenty."

"Nice work there, Rarity." Appejack said as a few ponies began to converge on her stall. "Well, now it looks like I really can't join ya now, cause its gonna get busy. But Ah promise I'll meet up with ya another day!"

"No problem at all, Applejack!" Rarity said while trotting way and waving at her friend.

/

Rarity checked in at Aloe and Lotus' spa and sat herself in to the wonderfully warm waters. "This is exactly what a lady needs after so many days on the road." She then lowered herself further into the water.

"It really is relaxing, isn't it?" Fluttershy's soft voice spoke, causing Rarity to jump out of the tub.

"Ah!" she yelled. "Honestly, Fluttershy I swear you'd probably be a much more terrifying pony, what with how you're so quiet." Rarity then smirked. "If you weren't so sweet."

"Oh!" Flutterhsy said. "I didn't think I was that scary."

"Oh Fluttershy, you just startled me is all." Rarity said.

"So, I'm not scary? Good." Fluttershy replied.

"Fluttershy, whatever has gotten into you?" Rarity asked. "I was only joking!"

Her pegasus friend shifted in the water. "I was just thinking about being called a 'Warrior of Light' lately." Fluttershy said. "I don't really want to be known as that."

"You're more than that title dear." Rarity said. "Why, the first thing you did when we got back to Ponyville was check on all of your animals. Why would anypony think of you differently?"

The fashionista turned to the door. "Oh, Ms. Aloe!" Rarity called out.

The mare came into the spa room. "Yes, Ms. Rarity?" she asked.

"I have a question." Rarity said.

"Yes, Ms. Rarity, we have a spot on the schedule for tomorrow if you'd like a hooficure."

"Oh, not that, but I'm interested if I can work out my schedule." Rarity replied. "But, what I meant to ask, Aloe, is about Fluttershy."

"Oh, what would you like to ask?" Aloe asked.

"You've seen us go about Ponyville as of late. What do you think we've been up to?" Rarity asked.

"I'm not sure what you're getting at." Aloe said, quirking a brow. "But I just assumed it has something to do with you all being the element bearers, off on some adventure, like you always are."

Rarity turned to glance at Fluttershy before asking, "And do you think she's changed at all?"

"Other than those adorable clothes, no, she's still Ponyvilles' resident animal caretaker." Aloe said.

"See dear," Rarity said, getting up from the tub and putting on a robe. "You're still you."

The two of them then headed towards the facial room, where Lotus sat them down and began the process of applying their masks.

"What about you, Rarity?" Flutteryshy asked. "Do you feel any different now?"

Rarity closed her eyes as she allowed the masseuse to place cucumbers over her eyes. "Well, I certainly have gotten myself into _far_ more engagements ever since we left on our journey." She said. "Thought that might be the case since we even became element bearers, back when Twilight first moved to Ponyville." Her tone reminiscent.

"Oh, the whole town has been so much more interesting ever since she arrived." Lotus said, moving on to Fluttershy.

"Still though, I don't think anypony knows me for being the sort of pony that gets into scuffles or the sort."

"No, they definitely know you for being generous." A light, male voice spoke. "Well, at least _I_ still remember you that way."

"Steven Magnus?" Rarity asked, sitting up. "Why, darling, it's been ages! What brings you to Ponyville today?"

"Well, I'm in town visiting Cranky Doodle Donkey. He and I go way back you know." Steven said. "And besides, a water serpent could always use a little t.l.c. for his looks."

Rarity froze, her thoughts moved her to another realm. There was a vast sea, no land could be seen in any direction. _Heavens, where am I?_

In some ways, the ripples of the waves looked like a giant sheet of fabric over the world. _Quite a stunning view. Inspiring, even._ _Rarity, stop, you need to focus. An eidolon is making themselves known!_

There was only then empty view and silence. _Please, I need to know_ something!

The waves continued to rise and fall, but there was nothing. Rarity tried to move, but found that she was stuck just above the surface of the water. _Well, this simply won't do._

She was then pulled back to reality.

"Rarity, are you alright?" Fluttershy asked.

"Goodness, how long was I out?" Rarity asked.

"Not long enough to worry about your mask, honey." Steven said.

She pulled off the cucumber slices to look at the others. "I'm not one to complain about grand experiences, but I really could have done with a better clue than a boundless ocean." Rarity said.

"You didn't see anypony?" Fluttershy asked.

"What are you girls going on about?" Steven asked. "Someone might think you're crazy, talking about these trances."

"Oh, Steven!" Rarity said. "We've been asked to seek out the Eidolons of Harmony."

"They're very powerful individuals connected with the elements of the world." Fluttershy said.

"You wouldn't happen to be the Eidolon of Water, would you Steven?" Rarity asked.

"Oh?" Steven replied. "Look honey, that honestly sounds like a title for someone old, just how _old_ do you think I am?"

Rarity chuckled. "Oh, I'm quite sorry, I didn't mean it that way. Perhaps you might know someone else from the sea who might fit the description?"

Steven ran a claw through his mane of scales. "Well, there are a whole lot of other entities of the sea in the world. I might be able to talk to some of them."

"Well, it looks like we're going to the ocean after all." Rarity said. "Applejack was right on this one. But this trip might have us out there for a long time."

"Would you mind coming with us?" Fluttershy asked. "Someone like you could really help us find the Eidolon of Water."

"You bet I would!" Steven said. "I'll head out with you all, just let me visit my old friend Cranky and we can go on an ocean tour!"

/

Rarity accompanied Steven to Cranky's house.

"So, how did the two of you meet?" she asked.

"Oh, that's a long story girl." Steven said. "I'll try to give you the short version. I remember meeting him at one of the great coasts of Equestria. He's a really good painter you know, just loves painting the sea. It was before he was lovestruck with Matilda."

"So, he was a traveler before he fell in love?" Rarity asked.

"For sure. We went on quite a few adventures before he decided to try and find her." Steven said. "That's some serious dedication. Glad he wasn't trying to find her in the ocean though."

Rarity's eyes widened at the prospect of searching for her eidolon. She regained her composure before Steven could notice. "So, has Cranky always been so…Cranky?"

"Oh, definitely not!" Steven said. "But I think he's mellowed out lately."

Rarity found herself musing over the Cranky's journey. _Searching all over Equestria for love. So very admirable. It_ is _wonderful when you finally find that special somepony._

"Is that a blush?" Steven asked.

"Oh my!" Rarity said, catching herself.

"Well, come on." Steven said. "Let's hear about him!"

Rarity ran a hoof through her mane before speaking. "Well, he's a knight of sorts. Very stoic, but he does have a sense of humor. His name is Kain Highwind."

"Sounds like a pilot if you ask me." Steven said. "Is he a pegasus?"

"Earth pony, actually." Rarity said. "He's able to soar through the air."

"Really?" Steven asked. "I didn't think Earth ponies could fly. Does he jump out of airships?"

"Not really, he jumps into the sky." Rarity said.

"Wow, he must have some _really_ strong legs for that!" Steven said.

"Mhmm." Rarity replied in agreement. There was a brief silence before she realized she let her imagination run away from her for a bit. "Steven, please!" she exclaimed while trying to regain her composure.

They had just about arrived at Cranky's house and Rarity took the chance to shift the conversation. "Oh look, we're here! We should talk to Cranky."

Steven smirked. "Oh yes, what _ever_ you say." He said and then lightly knocked on the donkey's house with a single claw.

There was no response. "Hello! Cranky, its your good pal Steven Magnus and Ms. Rarity!" he said, but was still met with silence.

"I suppose he isn't home." Rarity said. "Maybe he's visiting Matilda."

"Well then, let's head on over." Steven said. "You can tell me more about this Kain Highwind."

Rarity blushed and then smiled. "Okay, but only if you tell _me_ about any sea serpents you're seeing!

Steven crossed his arms. "Oh, you're good." He said, feigning a pout.

/

When they'd arrived at Matilda's house, they were met by the same silence after they knocked.

"What's going on?" Steven asked. "The two of them must be out somewhere together if they aren't at their homes."

But before they could turn around and leave, a weak voice spoke from inside the house. "I'm home, please come on in."

Rarity and Steven shrugged, and the unicorn moved to pen the door to find Matilda on her couch under layers of blankets.

"Goodness! Are you okay, Matilda?" Rarity asked as Steven moved towards a window to peer in.

"I'm not feeling too well." Matilda said. "I've been stuck here all morning."

"Oh my, does Cranky know?" Rarity asked. "Or anypony for that matter?"

"No, he left on a trip early this morning." Matilda said.

"Typical Cranky." Steven replied. "He's always done this sort of thing. Leaves on a trip, and forgets to tell someone.

Rarity approached the sick donkey. "I don't want to sound impolite dear, but you look dreadful. Let me go and find Nurse Redheart."

"I'd appreciate that." Matilda said and then coughed.

"Don't worry, I'll stay here and keep an eye on her!" Steven said.

/

As soon as she set out in full gallop, Rarity ran into Twilight.

"Oh hi, Rarity!" Twilight began, but then noted the urgent look on her friend. "What's wrong?"

"Matilda's fallen ill, I'm going to the hospital to find Redheart." Rarity replied.

"Oh no." Twilight said. "Is it serious?"

"I'm not sure Twilight, but I'm going to find help regardless." Rarity said. "Steven and I founder her sick and all alone." She continued making her way to the hospital with Twilight joining her in a gallop.

"Did you try any healing spells?" Twilight asked.

"Honestly, I'm not sure if I should go about trying to heal sick ponies." Rarity said. "I've barely got a hold on healing physical wounds."

When they arrived, the two mares were led to Redhearts's office where they were both surprised by the nurse. Redheart was wearing a red triangle patterned coat.

"Oh, hello Rarity and Twilight!" she said. "I hope you aren't feeling ill today."

It took a moment before Twilight shook herself from her stupor. "Redheart, you're wearing White Mage robes!"

"I've been a bit confused by them, but yes!" Readheart said. "I was so worried when I heard a voice say I was a white mage!"

"Fascinating!" Twilight said. "Oh, I'm sorry but we came over here to ask for you help!"

"Yes! Matilda has gotten quite ill; would you mind helping us?" Rarity asked.

"Not a problem!" Redheart said. "I just finished with my last patient on queue." She grabbed her medical saddle bags and put them on. "Lead the way.

The three mares then departed for Matilda's, all the while Twilight kept eyeing the nurse's robes.

"Its so fascinating!" Twilight said. "I wonder how many other ponies have received powers from the Tree of Harmony!"

"Oh, is that where these came from?" Redheart asked, while the trio rounded the corner, drawing glances from some ponies in the streets. "Also, _power_? I haven't noticed anything different."

"Rarity was also named a White Mage." Twilight said. "She's been able to use spells to protect and heal."

"Healing spells?" Redheart asked. "Well, I wouldn't know about those. What with not having a horn. I just though it was some sort of title that I received because of my work."

"Have you noticed anything differently as of late?" Twilight asked as they closed in on Matilda's house.

"Maybe." Redheart said. "Just when looking over patients."

"We've returned." Rarity said, opening the door. "She's on the couch."

The nurse moved to the donkey and looked her over. "How long have you been sick?" Redheart asked.

"It started this morning." Matilda said. "I feel awful."

Redheart then held her hooves to her patient. "That's quite a temperature you're running, about 39 degrees Celsius."

"You can tell her temperature without a thermometer?" Twilight asked.

"It's a bit odd, I know." Redheart said. "But lately, I've been guessing the precise temperature my patients have. I've even checked with the instruments afterwards."

She then opened her saddle bags and pulled out a thermometer and placed it in Matilda's mouth. After a short while, she pulled it out and showed it to Twilight. "See? 39 degrees."

While Twilight examined and began to take notes she saw Redheart continuing her examination. "BP is fine." Redheart said. "But I don't know why you're running a fever. Wait…" there was a soft glow coming from the nurse's hooves. "Desert Fever?"

"How did you know that?" Twilight asked.

"It just came to me." Redheart said. "I remember reading about this in medical school."

"Hold on." Twilight said and teleported away and back with a book. "Let's see, its' an ailment you get from traveling in the heat for too long."

"I did just come back from a short flight near Saddle Arabia." Matilda said. "The airship crew was so nice." She coughed.

Twilight fanned through the pages of her medical book. "It says here that a sand ruby can cure the affliction. Secreted by the antlions as they lay eggs."

"Seems like you might be headed to a desert then." Steven said from the window." My scales do not fare well in the heat."

"Wait a second!" Twilight said and teleported away once again."

"Really, she's going to wear herself out at this rate." Rarity said.

"So we're both white mages?" Redheart asked.

"Yes, it seems that way." Rarity replied. "Thought I've not been able to 'diagnose' anypony, shall we say."

"Do you happen to know any spells to cure desert fever?" Redheart asked.

"Sadly, I don't. Though as of late, I've had a crash course in first aid." Rarirty said. "And honestly, I don't know how I managed after seeing some of the wounds I've treated."

"Its because you want to help." Redheart said. "You brave past the spectacle. Well, at least that's how it works for me." She looked at the unicorn and then returned to Matilda.

The nurse then moved to the kitchen and returned with a glass of water for her patient. "Though I don't have any spells like you do, I have noticed that my patients as of late get better when I'm around. Haven't been able to verify it completely."

"Seems that no two White Mages are alike." Rarity said. "I really do wish I could do more for you Matilda."

"You and Steven coming here was already good enough, you went for help." Matilda said.

"Rarity, I'm not really sure how much you'll give until you're finally happy." Steven said. "You're already a generous pony, but you being a healer takes it to the next level, don't sell yourself short, girl."

"The door flung open with Twilight collapsing on the floor, panting from exhaustion. "Couldn't. Teleport. Any. More." She tried to catch her breath. "Had to fly back."

Fluttershy then drifted in and landed, looking over the collapsed Twilight Sparkle. "Um, Twilight said we needed to find antlions?" she asked.

"Yes, they're the only cure for desert fever, rather the sand rubies they produce." Redheart said.

"Yes, we're going to plan a trip in the desert, it seems." Rarity said.

"Oh no." Fluttershy said. "We don't have to go too far. Lots of antlions live right underneath Ponyville!" she knelt down to Twilight. "You should have told me you needed to know _where_ they were, Twilight. You flying in and screaming, 'antlions' and telling me to follow you just made you all tired."

Twilight groaned. "Arrrrrggggggh."


	16. On Tour

On Tour

/ _Pinkie Pie_ /

The train had completed its trip to the crystal empire overnight, and the party began to disembark to collect Trixie's wagon.

"Mrrm, mrrm mhhm!" the black mage attempted to yell through her still peanut-butter filled mouth.

"Yeah yeah, we're not going to forget about your wagon, Trixie." Rainbow Dash said.

"Mmhm." Trixie replied.

"You only kept us up all night, mumbling about your wagon. Some of us were trying to sleep." Rainbow Dash said.

"Oh, don't be such a spoil sport, Dashie!" Pinkie said. "A couple hours of not talk mumbling isn't so bad, right Trixie?"

"Mrrhm…" The showmare replied.

The party unloaded the wagon and began their way to the palace. At the entrance to the Crystal Empire, Trixie let out an unladylike, "Blagh!"

She finally spoke clearly again. "Finally, Trixie can talk again, and more importantly she can go to bed!" She then trotted to her wagon and fell into own bed before instantly beginning to snore.

"Perhaps its best if she stays there." Kain said.

"Yeah, at least she won't annoy Princess Cadence or Shining Armor when we meet them." Rainbow Dash said.

"Oh, I can't wait to see them again!" Pinkie said, beginning to hop in place. "We didn't really get that much time to talk with Cadence the last time because of the whole, Chry- _Wait, that was when Chrysalis came in and did all of that mind tricky stuff and made Kain feel really bad-_ salis…thing. Sorry Kain."

"Even if that memory remains, Pinkie," Kain said. "Princess Cadence had nothing to do with the matter. I'll be fine."

"And even _if_ Chrysalis is somehow around here. Do you really think she could take us on with our new powers?" Rainbow Dash said as Kain harnessed himself to the wagon.

"I'm not sure a contest of strength would be the matter." The dragoon said. "She's the deceptive type, and that is another realm of combat."

The party made their way through the pristine streets of the Crystal empire, the stunning metropolis shielded from the frozen north. Pinkie wasted no time and bolted for one of the shops in an avenue and returned with a bag of treats.

"I love this place, they make the best crystal candies!" she said, shoving a hoof full of them in her mouth. "I mean, its not as great as the rock candy back at home, but I like it all the same!"

"I hope the reason we came all the way out here _was_ because of an eidolon." Rainbow Dash said.

"Of course, it is!" Pinkie Pie said. "But just because we're on a mission to save the world from doom that may or may not exist doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves from time to time. Otherwise, what's the point?"

At the entrance of the palace were two crystal pony guards that the party recognized. They had been sent to Ponyville to guard Cadence. The red unicorn and blue pegasus saluted the group.

"Welcome to the Crystal Palace, the unicorn said.

Kain was about to respond with his own salute, but was interrupted by Pinkie. "Hi Biggs, hi Wedge!"

"The gruff unicorn cleared his throat before responding. "We received word that your group was en route to Yakyakistan from here. We'll have you meet with Princess Cadence and Commander Armor to discuss your journey."

"Wedge." He nodded to his partner, and the party was led to meet the royal couple.

"Are you two gonna come with us on this trip?" Pinkie asked.

"I'm not exactly sure if Shining Armor would be so quick to send his two captains out on an escort mission." Wedge said.

"Hey! Nopony's goal sitting!" Rainbow Dash said. "We're on a really important mission!"

"Really now?" Biggs asked. "Here I thought this was a diplomatic visit."

The group made their way to the interior of the palace.

As Kain unfastened himself from the wagon. "I wonder if Trixie's still asleep."

Rainbow Dash flew and looked in through the window of the wagon to find the showmare sound asleep. "Hey Trixie, wake up!" but thee mare continued her soft snoring. "She's still out."

"Oh, it'll be fine!" Pinkie said. "I'll just tell her everything through a song or a cupcake engram!" She then produced a small pastry with lines and lines of text written in a swirl of icing.

"Let's be on our way then." Kain said.

"This way." Biggs said.

/

The royal couple wasn't seated like any of the other royalty in Equestria, which was just fine by Pinkie Pie as she rushed up to embrace Shining Armor and Cadence. "Hi, you two! How've you been?"

"We've been great, Pinkie." Cadence said, restrained of air from the hug.

"Yeah, the Crystal Empire's been a great place." Shining Armor said.

After finally releasing the couple, she gasped and clearly spoke.

"Twilight sent a letter saying some of you were on your way to Yakyakistan to search for an 'Eidolon'."

"Yes," Kain said. "We have reason to believe a powerful ally is to be found in the frozen north."

Cadence quirked a brow and then her expression grew serious. "An ally?" Why do you make it sound like we're headed for war?"

"Well, not exactly." Rainbow Dash said. "We sort of don't know what's going to happen."

Pinkie then charged forward and spoke after taking in a huge breath. "The Tree of Harmony gave us these new powers and told us that we had to be ready for some sort of big disaster that was coming, but couldn't tell us exactly what it was because it just so happened to get really tired after giving us powers!"

Wedge turned to the royal couple. "A threat? You don't think that means that Sombra might return, do you?"

Shining Armor glowered. "That's exactly what I'm thinking."

"Your majesty." Biggs said. "Permission to begin preparing our defenses."

"Granted." Shining Armor replied. "Also, look into any ways he might return. I think a scholar moved into the empire recently."

The unicorn saluted and set off to begin his assignment.

"Getting back to you ponies," Cadence said. "Though Yakyakistant isn't hostile with the Crystal empire, we aren't on the friendliest of terms with them. It would be a good idea for your group to head there first so they don't misconstrue the meaning of your trip."

"Sounds like they need to warm up to ponies with a party!" Pinkie said.

"I'd hold off on being _too_ friendly." Shining Armor said. "They're more of the types that are more likely to shout their feelings than throw a party."

"Oh, come on." Cadence said. "they threw a party."

"I still have no idea what was going on…" Shining Armor said.

"Don't worry, I'm pretty sure no one was offended after the whole ordeal." Wedge said.

"So, we'll just head over, share some cupcakes, and then keep going on our adventure!" Pinkie said.

"I think it would be a good idea if I joined them, Commander." Wedge said.

"Yes, that's a good idea. You can report on any improvements in our diplomacy with Yakyakistan and also tell us about the eidolon."

"Ye sir." The pegasus saluted. "I should be ready to move out in less than an hour."

"Hold it buddy." Pinkie aid. "We've got some serious planning to do."

"I assure you, Ms. Pie." Wedge said. "I'm trained to go into hostile environments."

"Not that!" Pinkie said. "We've gotta be ready for the parties in Yakyakistan!" Shen then grabbed the military pony and led him off.

After staring wide-eyed at the mare dragging the soldier away, Cadence turned the party and asked with a smile, "Tea, anypony?"

Kain coughed, "I suppose that would be good."

"Yeah, sure." Rainbow Dash said.

/

Pinkie had brought Wedge to the palace kitchen and began planning with him amid the many busy palace cooks.

"So why is this gonna be so hard to make friends with Yakyakistan?" Pinkie asked.

"It's like their majesties said." Wedge replied. "They're a bit rowdier than most ponies are used to."

"So they like parties their own way!" Pinkie said, planting both forelegs on the table. "I can get a party rowdy if you need me to!"

Wedge waved a hoof to interrupt her. "Well, that's not exactly the way to go either." He said. "If you start acting they way they do, they'll think you're mocking them."

"Wow, these yaks sound like a tough crowd to please." Pinkie said.

"You should have seen Biggs try to go along with the shouting." Wedge said with a laugh.

"Hmmm." Pinkie said while rubbing her chin with a hoof. "There's gotta be a way to make them feel like we're friends."

"Well, they don't like it when you're like them _or_ when you don't appreciate their ways." Wedge said.

"Maybe we should just be ourselves." Pinkie said. "but _not_ ourselves!"

"How do you do that?" Wedge asked.

Pinkie held out a hoof but remained silent. "I guess we'll see when we get there!" She grabbed one of the trays with her mouth and led Wedge3 out of the kitchen and back to the others.

"So what's the battle plan?" Shining Armor asked when he saw the Pinkie and Wedge return.

After placing the tray with the others that the chefs had brought in, Pinkie spoke. "Were just going to have to wing it!"

"But what was with all the planning you said you were going to do?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Oh, we definitely talked a strategy over, Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie said. "In all my years of throwing parties, I know that there are some ponies you can plan for, like Twilight." She then trotted over to a tea kettle. "But sometimes, I need to see what they're like before I really know what _they_ like."

Pinkie sped around the table, pouring tea in all of the attendee's cups. She then moved onto the cream and sugar as well, but stopped next to Kain. He held out a hoof before coughing and muttering, "Three."

Pinkie added the sugar and landed in her seat. "Sometimes you just got to get to know somepony." She said.

Cadence smiled. "Then I think you're the perfect pony for the job."

/

The group had just set out into the unshielded snowscape outside of the city, and Trixie had awoken only a few minutes prior and had been filled in.

"Noooo!" Trixie yelled and then planted her face on the window sill of her wagon.

"Oh, come on, it was tea, Trixie." Rainbow Dash said as she flew overhead with Wedge.

"But it was tea with a _royal_ audience!" the showmare whined in protest.

Wedge flew down to Kain and confided in a fellow soldier. "Is that mare always like this?"

The dragoon turned and looked at the still moping Trixie. "I wouldn't know. I've only just been acquainted with her myself."

"Don't worry!" Pinkie said having somehow appeared on top of Kain's back. "She'll be fine."

And then the mare hopped onto the roof of the wagon and lowered a tray of cookies. "I got to take these after we had tea!"

Trixie's glowing eyes narrowed.

"They're not like the cupcakes from earlier, Pinkie promise!" the confectioneer said while going through the motions of her namesake.

Trixie snatched the snacks and began to eat them, cookies disappearing into the shadowy veil.

The armored, crystal pony turned back briefly before asking. "Wait, a moment. Are you _the_ Pinkie Pie for which the promise is named for?"

The grin on Pinkie's face grew wide. "Oh my gosh!" Pinkie promises are a thing in the Crystal Empire?!"

"Of course they are, Wedge said. "After Spike the great, you mares are well known in the empire!"

"I don't believe I've heard this story." Kain said.

Pinkie then trotted to the front of the wagon and sat down. "Yeah, it was just when the Crystal Empire re-appeared after being gone with some magic spell for a _really_ long time!"

"Sombra, the dark king had taken over the country; but before he could abuse his power the princesses sealed the city away." Wedge said.

"But then the Crystal Empire came back out of nowhere!" Pinkie said. "And that meanie, Sombra too!"

"That whole thing was crazy." Rainbow Dash said. " If we had the powers we do now, Sombra wouldn't have stood a chance." The raptor threw some jabs and kicks.

"But you had Spike?" Kain asked, urging Wedge to continue.

"Sparkle's little dragon assistant?" Trixie asked through a mouthful of cookies. "How exactly did he save the day?" She tossed another cookie into her mouth.

"Well, despite everything somepony might think a hero looks like, Spike certainly didn't." Wedge said. "But he braved a dangerous gauntlet to return the Crystal Heart to its proper place and sealed Sombra away."

"Wow, that really _is_ something." Trixie said, polishing off the last cookie.

"Aw, come on Trixie, don't be so mean!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Trixie is being completely honest!" the showmare said, holding up her left foreleg as an oath.

"That little dragon is indeed brave." Kain said. "But much too young to be putting himself in that sort of danger."

"Yeah, I can't think about what it'd be like if we had little colts and fillies in danger all the time." Pinkie said. "They're not even fire-proof like Spike is!"

Kain turned his head away and lamented. "Let us hope that it never comes to needing everyone to partake in the conflicts to come."

"Wow Kain." Pinkie said, catching herself in midair in a hop." That' was really moody all of a sudden."

"I'm sorry. It's just that I remembered some of the stories Cecil told me when he was on his journey."

Pinkie's eyes grew wide and started to water.

"Don't worry, the children who traveled with him are alright now. But remembering what happened still troubles me."

"Well, at least they're okay." Pinkie said. Then, deciding the conversation was _way_ too gloomy to continue in this direction, she turned to Wedge. "So, Wedge, how much longer until we get to Yakyakistan?"

"It's a little more than a day's journey. We'll need to camp for the night." Wedge said, looking over the snow-laden landscape. "I hope you' aren't afraid of a little cold."

Pinkie bound next to the pegasus soldier. "Nope, we came prepared. Rarity made all sorts of neat stuff for us. She even made thermal underwear for me, Kain, and Dashie!" which elicited a grown from her other party members.

/

Pinkie was stirring a bubbling pot of stew near the back door of Trixie's wagon while staying inside for the most part. The aroma of potato and garlic wafted into the wagon, comforting the party with thoughts of dinner.

Even if Trixie had cleared most everything in her wagon, five ponies inside was a tight squeeze.

Pinkie periodically moved between her stew outside and on of the empty cupboards she claimed as her bunk.

"Really, it won't be too much trouble for Wedge and myself to camp outside for you ladies." Kain said.

"Oh, what a gentlecolt!" Trixie said.

"What's wrong Kain, you're not worried Rarity is the jealous type, are you?" Rainbow Dash said.

"All these mares here making you feel a little overwhelmed?" Trixie added.

"Rarity and me are…comfortable with each other." Kain said. "I was only offering because it was the right thing to do."

"I'll stay here, thank you very much." Wedge said. As he cracked open one of the wagon's windows, letting in a brief spray of ice and snow. "No, I think I'd much prefer to stay inside."

Trixie lowered her veil and gave the stallion a sultry look. "Oh, you don't mind being around all of us mares? Are you sure your marefriend won't be jealous?"

Wedge smirked. "Oh, I do have somepony back home, but I'm sure _he_ doesn't mind."

Trixie grimaced and then brought back up her veil and muttered to herself. Everyone else laughed at her failed tease.

"Wow, I didn't know so many of us had special someponies back home!" Pinkie said. Do you think he worries about you like Rarity does all the time for Kain?" she covered her mouth with her hooves. "Oops."

Kain smiled, much to the party ponies surprise. "No, I get it." He said. "I can't fault her though as now I find myself worrying about her."

Rainbow Dash gave him a reassuring look. "Hey, she'll be fine! She went on all sorts of adventures with the rest of us, and now she's even got powers!"

"It's about having that faith and trust." Wedge said. "Trusting that they'll be fine without you and that you can do the same." He turned towards Kain and lightly punched his shoulder.

"So, the one you care about is also a comrade in arms?" Kain asked.

"That's how we met." Wedge said.

"Aww." Pinkie said as she began to serve dinner to everyone.

"Meeting your special somepony while doing what you find most important in life." Wedge said, accepting a bowl with his wing.

"I didn't think I'd be so lucky, but here I am going off on a potentially dangerous mission for the Crystal Empire while he considers it to be just another day on the job."

Kain, allowing his meal to cool off mulled over the thought and spoke. "What you have is enviable. Having so many…issues in my past, I've come to appreciate love where I see it."

"Aww." Pinkie said once more with big eyes and a smile this time. "You're so sweet Kain. You're definitely way less moody than when you first came to Ponyville!"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Alright! Its getting really mushy in here. Don't make me fly out of here."

"But Dashie, we haven't talked about what they're dates are like!" Pinkie said, playfully. "You can't really call it mushy until they _really_ talk about their innermost feelings!"

"That's it, I'm freezing to death." Rainbow Dash said as she made her way towards the wagon exit. It took the combined effort of every other pony to hold her back, whilst laughing. "Gah! I was _kidding!_ "


	17. Pressing Matters

/ _Rarity_ /

Redheart trotted over to Twilight. "Are you okay?" the nurse asked, kneeling down and putting a hoof on the princess.

"Yeah, I just need to catch my breath. "Twilight said, muffled by her head facing the ground.

"So, these antlions live underneath Ponyville?" Rarity asked.

"Yes, they like to build colonies under towns." Fluttershy said. "It might have to do with Earth pony magic."

Twilight stood up and pulled a book from her saddlebags. "This book has an illustration of what they look like. I brought this bestiary from Fluttershy's house."

Fluttershy took the book and opened it to a page with an illustration.

"Goodness, what a ferocious looking creature!" Rarity said, looking at the depiction of an insect with large mandibles and intimidating eyes... "I certainly hope they never come above ground."

"Oh, they're not so bad," Fluttershy said. "I've seen them on the surface from time to time. They're so cute!" she smiled.

"You aren't scared of them?" Twilight asked, shocked.

"Why would I be?" Fluttershy asked. "They're no scarier than any other little bug."

"So what you're saying is that we need a sand pearl from a teeny tiny little insect?" Steven asked and turned to Twilight. "So, Miss 'Magic', do you think you can bring one up here?"

"Not exactly." Twilight said. "I still have to _know_ where one of these sand pearls are."

"They're deep underground where the queen lays her eggs." Fluttershy said.

"Well, that helps a little bit." Twilght said. "I can scan the earth beneath Ponyville in a few days to find their queen."

"The only problem is that Matilda's condition will only worsen with time." Redheart said, as she looked over her patient.

"I'm sure I'll be-" Matilda started, but then coughed even more harshly than when Rarity first found her.

Redheart then gave her some water and tended to her.

"Let's go outside, Twilight, Fluttershy." Rarity said, opening the door.

When she closed the door behind them, Twilight broke the silence. "There's got to be a faster way of finding that pearl."

"If we went into the tunnel, I could ask the antlions to take us to the queen." Fluttershy asked.

"Yes, well, there's the little problem of us being much too big." Rarity said. She stopped and smirked.

"Unless, of course, there were some alterations…" Rarity thought back to when she'd blundered a load of laundry, ruining the clothes, or at least turning her own wardrobe into a set fit for Sweetie Belle by accident. "I wonder."

Her horn glowed with her white magic as she created an ethereal dress around each one of the mares.

"I'm not sure how a set of dresses are going to help us, Rarity." Twilight said, but was cut off as the dresses' aura intensified and the view around them grew much more imposing.

"Oh, that's a good idea!" Flutterhsy said. "Now we can just ask them for their help!"

Twilight's eyes grew wide as an ant walked by.

"Just leave it to me!" Fluttershy said.

Meanwhile, one confused sea serpent was searching about the entire area for the ponies. "Um, girls. Where did you all go?"

/

The party had gathered near Flutterhsy's cottage, resized to normal and geared up for exploration.

"Nope, sorry. Ain't happenin." Applejack said.

"But we might need your help!" Rarity said.

"Ah've already been tiny before, and once was enough for me." Applejack said, looking at the piece of ground they were planning to enter. "It felt wrong, havin to ride on somepony else to get around."

"I know that must have been difficult for you, AJ." Fluttershy said. "But we'll all be small together."

"Tell you what, girl," Steven said. "I'll even go down there with you." He looked over to Rarity. "Besides, I'd like to see what kind of magical clothing she'd make for me."

Applejack snorted. "Alraht, Ah'll go with ya'll."

Rarity then closed her eyes and enveloped the party in her aura. As with any clothes the seamstress made, real or not, Rarity didn't spare any creativity and adorned the party with elaborate dresses and a shirt and coat for Steven.

As the world around the party grew larger, the light of their magical clothing intensified. When they had all shrunk enough, Rarity released the spell. Their magical attire then faded from view, but not before briefly pulsing with a faint light.

"That was amazing, Rarity!" Twilight said. "You were able to shrink five beings at once!"

The white mage looked around to admire her work and noted Steven's confusion. "Oh, I'm sorry dear, but I had to shrink you a bit further to explore with the rest of us."

The sea serpent approached the ponies, noting that he didn't tower over them as much as he would normally.

"I'd say you've brought him to scale that Discord is to us." Twilight said. "This is really impressive Rarity. I don't think I could have managed all of these effects all at once."

"Anyways." Applejack said. "We should probably get to findin that antlion queen."

"Oh!" Fluttershy said. "We just need to find one antlion and I'm sure they'd tell us where to find the queen." And began moving towards the entrance."

"Hold on a moment!" Twilight said. "I almost forgot!"

The party halted just as soon as they started. Twilight levitated some sticks for the group. "I brought some glowsticks for light down there."

Applejack took one of the items and cracked it, creating a dim, green glow. "No offense Twi." The fighter said. "But Ah'm not sure how good these will be down there."

"Oh right!" Twilight exclaimed and brought out another glowstick. "I forgot that it only works for me." She cracked an orange glowstick, creating a noticeable glow even in the daylight.

"I'm not entirely sure how it works, but being a scholar seems to let my understanding of an item increase its potency." Twilight said.

"Beg pardon?" Applejack asked.

"If I use any sort of magical tool or item, they're much stronger for me than for anypony else." The scholar said, cracking a purple glowstick for Steven and a pink one for Fluttershy.

"Alright then, _now_ let's get goin." Applejack said, taking the party's first steps into the tunnels.

/

After spending the last half hour descending the antlion caves, the party had yet to encounter any creature.

"This place is so barren." Rarity said. "Are you sure there are antlions down here, Fluttershy?"

The beastmaster floated downward, allowing her glowstick to illuminate a steep drop in one of the tunnels.

"That's strange." Fluttershy said. "I could have sworn I saw them just yesterday." She returned to the group

Twilight, meanwhile, was busy turning through pages of the bestiary she'd borrowed. "I'm not sure what would cause them to leave so suddenly. There doesn't seem to be anything about sudden disappearances in this book, Fluttershy."

Twilight continued walking until she bumped into Rarity, who had also been engrossed in a book. "Rarity, you're _also_ researching antlions?" She asked.

"Oh no, dear." The white mage said. "I've brought my own reading material down here."

"Rarity, can ya just please pay more attention to what's goin on!" Applejack said, with frustration. "Twi's already got her muzzle in a book, we don't need any more of us distracted."

"Applejack, I'm doing some important reading here." Rarity said, but was interrupted by a chunk of the tunnel breaking apart, revealing an insectoid appendage.

"EEK!" the fashionista yelled, and jumped backwards, colliding with Twilight.

"Oh, that must be an antlion now!" Fluttershy said in excitement. "Oh, excuse me!" Flutterhsy attempted to say.

The insect burrowed in one part of the tunnel and into another section in a blur, paying no heed to the party.

"Well, that was rude." Steven said.

"It's okay, we'll just find another one who's not so busy." Fluttershy said.

"Uh-huh." Applejack reluctantly said. "Sorry Flutters, but something about this don't seem raht."

The beastmaster stopped and landed in front of the fighter. "I know what you're thinking." She said with the smallest trace of malice in her voice.

Applejack, briefly caught off guard by Fluttershy's aggressive notion reassumed her no-nonsense demeanor. "Ah didn't mean it _that_ way, Fluttershy."

"Heavens, what are you two going on about?" Rarity asked.

"Yes, some of us don't exactly get what's going on." Steven said. "Here I thought you all were good friends. Now you're acting like ponies I don't even recognize."

Twilight landed between the pair on the verge of an argument. "Look, Applejack, its not fair to jump to any conclusions about the antlions. They haven't done anything to us."

The princess turned to Fluttershy. "But, that doesn't mean we shouldn't be cautious."

Fluttershy, having lost her drive, sighte and continued flying forward. "You're right." She said in her soft voice. "I just hope we don't need to fight them."

Rarity and Steven blinked at each other and the unicorn spoke. "Did I miss something serious?"

The white mage pressed faster to catch up with Fluttershy, who had put some distance between herself and the rest of the party. "Fluttershy, you know you can tell me anything. What's wrong?" she asked.

Fluttershy stayed quiet, looking on as her pink light merged with Rarity's approaching blue horn light. "Its too much like the last time." She reluctantly spoke.

"I'm sorry darling, but I don't recall the last time we shrunk down and searched for an antlion queen." Rarity said, catching up with the beastmaster at her side.

"Like when we were looking for the last eidolon." Fluttershy said. "We were in a cave too, and the creatures in it were…" she stopped. "They were gone, their minds were gone, Rarity."

"Heavens, Fluttershy." Rarity said with a hoof to her chest. "I had no idea." The realization dawned on her. "Fluttershy, is that why you were asking about everypony seeing you differently?"

"Yes." The pegasus said, barely audible. "We had to…stop them."

The same thing happened with some chimera on our way back as well." Rarity said somberly.

The pair made their way down a more manageable tunnel, the rest of the party followed but kept their distance.

"I won't lie to you, Fluttershy, it was one of the worst things to think about. That something is happening to Equestria, something that's forcing us to make these sorts of choices."

"I just don't want it to keep happening, not to the antlions, not to any creature." Fluttershy said.

A part of the tunnel crumbled fro the ceiling, causing the mares to look up. Another antlion was making its way through the system. Unlike the other that sped by, this one stared at the ponies before it. The reddish-purple insect flexed its mandibles, looking on with its two large eyes.

 _Now Rarity, stay calm just let Fluttershy talk to the antlion. There's no reason to scream at the top of your lungs, Not yet at least. Grace under fire._

It took the white mage all of her poise and training to appear calm

"Excuse me." Fluttershy said, causing the creature to shift its attention to her. "We're trying to find help for a friend of ours, and we need your queen's help."

The antlion tilted its head as if curious. Rarity could only look on in admiration of her friend's way with animals. But it was short lived she she saw the antlion flex and leap towards her friend.

Time seemed to slow down, and Rarity could only jump to push her friend out of the way. Perhaps the worst sight had been Fluttershy herself. Rarity saw the look of disappointment in the mare's face when the antlion lunged.

Everything returned to normal and both Rarity and Fluttershy tumbled through the tunnel. The white mage got to her hooves and brandished her staff, but noticed the insect was attempting to bite something _else_ where they had been.

Rarity glanced back to the rest of the party, Steven, Twilight and Applejack were still fine, if not surprised by the antlion's attack.

"Wait, what is the antlion doing?" Rarity asked aloud.

The creature heaved what appeared to be a bloated looking caterpillar with a small razor-toothed mouth. The antlion's prey gurgled a roar as it tried to wriggle free only for the antlion to close its pincers and puncture the creature, causing it to pop and splash what looked to be water everywhere.

"They're defending their colony from invaders." Fluttershy said, after hazily getting back to her hooves. "He wasn't trying to hurt me."

The antlion turned to the beast master and chittered in what could only be described in a happy way. But before Fluttershy could properly thank the insect, two more mounds of earth shifted, revealing more of the large caterpillars.

They each spat out liquid orbs at the antlion, knocking it over before rushing the other insect with speed that belied their girth.

"Leave him alone!" Fluttershy yelled, and lashed her whip at the worms. The weapon glanced off, only causing the bulk of the other insects' bodies to wiggle.

That however, was enough to draw the creatures' attention towards the party.

On the opposite end of the tunnel, Applejack charged back at one of the worms with her axe ablaze. With one swipe, the creature exploded in a sizzling water puddle.

Rarity winced at the rather disgusting end to that creature. Meanwhile she noticed that the other worm was now barreling towards her.

 _Drats, I don't have anything to pierce the beast with._ She thought and then looked at her staff. _Well._

The caterpillar leapt above the white mage in attempt to pin her. Rarity rolled away from the monster's mouth and pointed her staff strait up. She felt the weight of the creature come down on her, pushing the staff back into her.

 _It's not enough._ She could barely concentrate as the massive creature's weight shifted onto her. _Now you've gone and done it._ She was on the verge of blacking out from the pain of her own weapon digging into her. _Wait_.

The tip of her staff began to glow and then the creature burst the same way the other had, enveloping the white mage in the water, viscera of the caterpillar.

For once, Rarity wasn't concerned with the sheer amount of disgusting matter all over her, as even then she was struggling to cough out the vile liquids. There was a sharp presence of pain at her side. She could only hear a panicked Twilight Sparkle galloping towards her and speaking in a rushed tone.

"She's hurt!"

"But she's - one – h-ls us!"

"Yo—g-ing – b- -ine, R-!"


	18. Snow Problems

/ _Pinkie Pie_ /

The cannoneer awoke with her nose itching and her knee pinching, a double Pinkie sense alarm for something scary and dangerous, but she only saw the party still sound asleep.

"That's weird. I wonder why my Pinkie sense went off." She said to herself and then attempted to open the back door of Trixie's wagon, only to find that a layer of snow had buried them overnight.

Not being one to let other ponies sleep in during important events, Pinkie woke up the party with a burst. "Hey everypony, we got snowed in again! Looks like we need to melt the snow or we might have an air problem!"

The party slowly roused themselves. Trixie looked at her wagon's windows after opening the curtains. "That's a lot of snow."

Kain gave the obstruction a glance. "I think I can use my fire breath to free us." He then opened the window next to him.

"Wait, fire breath?" Trixie asked incredulously. She took note of the dragoon taking in his breath to unleash his attack.

The black mage then grabbed and yanked the dragoon away from the window. "No, stop!" she yelled. "You'll use up all of Trixie's, I mean _our_ air!" She then place the head or her magic rod into the snow outside.

"Fire!" Trixie incanted and the snow around her focus began to melt. Noticing that it wasn't nearly as fast as she hoped it would be, the black mage increased her power. "Fine then. Fira!"

Energies warped around her weapon and shot out in a pillar of flame that near-instantaneously melted the snow. With the snow cleared, a rush of cold air entered the wagon.

"Okay." Trixie said with her teeth chattering. "Let's get Trixie's wagon out."

/

While it had snowed overnight, the landscape hadn't actually changed much; the mountains and even the Crystal empire hadn't been lost from view.

"Yakyakistan isn't too far off." Wedge said. "It's through that pass ahead."

Pinkie excitedly bounced ahead of the wagon, leading the party. "Come on!" only for the wagon to barely move when Kain tried to pull it through the fresh snow.

"Trixie, you said your wagon was set for this kind of weather." Rainbow Dash said, annoyed.

"Well, being snowed in _isn't_ one thing her wagon isn't ready for!" Trixie said.

"I've got it!" Pinkie said with a snap of her hooves that no one noticed. "We should have breakfast while I get the wagon ready!"

She sped about the wagon and set up a fire with a large skillet over the center. "Who wants pancakes?!"

Before anyone could really answer, Pinkie had already set about pouring batter onto the skillet. The rest of the party shrugged and sat themselves around the confectioneer, their hunger only slightly beating out their curiosity of how the mare would solve their problems.

"Breakfast is good and all, but I don't know how this is going to help us." Rainbow Dash said.

Pinkie however, simply brought out plates and tossed one to each party member. "Cinnamon!" she called out and tossed the pancakes to Rainbow Dash and Trixie.

She started another batch, adding fruit, but still now clueing in the party on her plan. "Blueberry for our battle ponies!" she said and flipped the flapjacks to Kain and Wedge. Then, in a blur, she threw in a multitude of additional ingredients. "And for me, a super-sprinkle, chocolate chip flapjack!"

Pinkie tossed it onto her plate and layered it with whipped cream. There was an awkward silence that hung over the group as they ate.

Kain finally decided to speak. "While I'm certain everyone appreciated breakfast, we're still at a loss for moving the wagon."

Pinkie licked the last of the whipped cream from her lips and put down her plate. "Well, for one thing, you can't fight evil or solve puzzles on an empty stomach!"

"So, all of that cooking was just for breakfast?" Trixie asked. "You didn't have a plan?"

Pinkie stood up and began preparing to cook more pancakes. "Oh, I've got plans!" she grabbed some everdough from the special pouch she had on her belt and added some to the skillet.

The confectioneer hopped over to Kain. "Can I borrow you for a second, Kain?" she asked.

"Well, I'm not sure-" he was cut off when Pinkie slapped him over his back, causing him to belch out a blast of fire under the skillet.

Pinkie rushed back to the fire with her spatula. The mare then lifted the pancake and began to arc the skillet so that the now burning breakfast item was curved. Then she tossed the item into the snow, causing the spot to sizzle before Pinkie lifted out the finished product.

"Would you mind telling us what you're doing, Pinkie Pie?" Trixie asked flatly.

I'm making flapjack sled shoes for your wagon, Trixie!" Pinkie said smiling.

"But won't it just fall apart?" Trixie asked.

"Not these!" Pinkie said as she brought more everdough out and began another gigantic flapjack. "Dashie, remember the time you tried making pancakes with me"

Rainbow Dash held a hoof to the back of her neck, "Yeah, how can I forget." She said. "They came out as hard as rocks. We ended up playing frisbee with them afterwards."

"And we broke one of Twilight's window!" Pinkie said, causing Trixie to snort in the background. "So, I figured, why not just make something like that for a sled!" She nodded expectantly at Kain.

The dragoon sighed and let out a blast of fire beneath the skillet. "I have to wonder if you ask Spike to do this sort of thing."

The confectioneer worked her _not_ magic and tossed the sturdy foodstuff into the snow.

"I sometimes wonder about your resourcefulness Pinkie." Kain said, continuing. "You always seem to have an answer for everything."

"All part of being a party planner!" she replied.

/

With the party on their way once more, Pinkie focused all of her energy planning to meet the yaks of Yakyakistan. Her mind whirred with thoughts on a possible gathering at each time of the day. She envisioned herself cooking all sorts of foods and singing songs of all genres. What kind of instruments did they have? What were their favorite flavors?

With each possibility, Pinkie imagined another tiny version of herself splitting off and doing something different. And even amount those instances, she _may_ have included a stage performance with Trixie.

Those thoughts were cut short in an instant as all the mini-Pinkies came rushing back in an instant as Pinkie's tail began to twitch, letting her know that something was about to fall on top of them.

The party was nearing the end of the pass, Pinkie hopped into an extra harness next to Kain and pulled with all of her earth pony might. Rocks and snow came crashing down where they were only moments prior.

Rainbow Dash, along with Wedge, flew back towards the party with inquisitive looks.

"Before you ask, Dashie." Pinkie said. "I was _not_ singing out loud, not even my imaginations' singing caused an avalanche this time!"

Wedge examined the remnants of the debris. "Snow and rocks." He said to himself before his eyes widened with concern. "This wasn't an accident, be on your guards!" He yelled.

A large, quadra-ped creature loomed from over the edge of the pass above. If it weren't for the grotesque maw and ghostly, haunting eyes, the creature might have been considered equine. Each of its legs, comprised of snow, contained shards of ice and rocks as it thudded to the ground in front of the party.

"A snowdigo." Wedge said.

"What a creepy looking thing." Trixie said.

"They're deformed versions of windigos." Wedge said. "Said to have all the malice, but none of the mind of their original forms.

The creature roared, a mix of a predator and the frigid wind. But before it could act, a column of fire erupted nearby and encompassed it.

The snowdigo was engulfed in flames, sounding a roar from being hit by the attack. The rest of the party turned towards Trixie and looked at her incredulously.

"What?" the black mage asked. "It was totally going to attack us! You can't say something like that jumps down and after doing all of that just to say hi?"

The fire spun out, leaving not a trace of the monster.

"If only it were that easy." Wedge said. "These creatures seldom travel alone."

More frigid howls sounded from above and soon the party was beset by a pack of snowdigos.

"These monsters won't be a problem." Rainbow Dash said and drew her blade. "If Trixie can take one down by herself, then we'll get past this, easy."

One of the snow beasts shot a blast of snow from its maw directly at Pinkie Pie, but the mare dodged the shote easily and saw it hit the side of the pass, revealing rocks and shards of ice within the projectile. Pinkie looked back and inspected the mess.

"Hey, you're not supposed to put rocks in snowballs! It's against the rules!" she brought out her cannon and fired back, getting the creature stuck in a batter bomb.

Rainbow Dash flew down and attempted to slash one of the snowdigos with her sword. Instead of a clean slice, the rocky debris inside of the monster jarred the raptor.

Kain landed on top of the creature with his hooves, turning the creature into a mound of slush. "Be careful with monsters that are made of metal or rocks. It wears down your weapon."

Wedge flew into one of the snowdigos with his shield in front of him and smashed it against the wall. "If you've got some of other way of hitting them, then I suggest you do that." The soldier said, prying his shield from the wall.

Rainbow saw another creature about to pounce on her, only for it to be blasted by a gout of fire from Trixie. The raptor sheathed her sword back and looked at her hooves. "Back to getting in close." She said.

Kain took notice of a group of snowdigos running as a pack. The dragoon leapt in front of them and let out a blast of fire, reducing them to a mist.

Another monster meanwhile, jumped from above and tried to land on Rainbow Dash, but she took note and evaded to see it crash down. The snowdigo was about to make another attack when a rather smelly object passed by Rainbow Dash and dissolved the snowdigos

"Was that…garlic?" The raptor asked.

"Spicy garlic and potato soup!" Pinkie shouted. "Always great on a cold day!"

The party dealt with the scores of creatures that had leapt down and attacked them. Kain, Wedge, and Rainbow Dash fought them off in close quarters, smashing them with their hooves. Pinkie Pie and Trixie fired off their own attacks at the snowdigos in the back of the pack that were waiting for the melee fighters to expose a flank.

Pinkie let loose a barrage of hot soup, dissolving a great deal of the creatures. All the while, bolts of fire whizzed by, each time after Trixie incanted her spells. "Fire! Fire! Fire!"

"Wow, Trixie, that's a lot of magic you're using!" Pinkie said.

"Of course!" The black mage said. "There's no way that Trixie is going to let these gifts bestowed on her go to waste. Fire!" she incanted and blasted another snowdigo that had slipped behind Wedge.

"Yeah! You're way better with magic now, and less mean to us!" Pinkie said. "Watch out Dashie!" She fired off a blast from her cannon. "That's a whole lot of spells you're using, aren't you tired? I've got _lots_ of ingredients and everdough to use if you need to rest!"

After firing off three more bolts of flame, Trixie spoke. "Trixie." She panted. "Is. Doing. Fine."

Another snowdigo had charged towards the pair of artillery mares. Trixie attempted another cast of fire only for it to sputter out of her horn with a few sparks. "Aw nuts."

Wedge then flew into the beast and slammed it into the ground.

"Trixie could have gotten that one." She continued, the exhaustion resonating in her voice. "Just a few more and we would have had all of them."

Rainbow Dash plowed through one of the snowdigos and landed in front of the black mage. "That's great and all, Trixie, but I think you might not have seen those guys." She pointed behind Trixie, to the location they had traveled through the pass.

"What?!" Trixie cried out, exasperated. She turned to see another horde of snowdigos being fended off by Kain's fire breath.

Their numbers were so great that the creatures pushed forward and the dragoon leapt back with the rest of the party. "I don't think I can keep using my fire breath. They're keeping their distance from each other." Kain said.

"And with our mage out of commission, we don't have a wide enough of an attack." Wedge said looking Trixie, who was now being held up by Pinkie Pie.

"Kain, do you have enough for one more fire breath" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Yes," The dragoon replied.

The raptor smirked. "When I tell you, give it one more blast."

Kain nodded and Rainbow Dash took off towards the horde. She flew above the monsters just high enough to draw their attention, but not low enough to bet bit when they leapt up at her.

She swung her blade, creating air slashes that cut into the occasional adversary. When she neared the edge of the horde she began encircling the creatures.

"Dashie is gonna make a tornado?" Pinkie asked. "You need a lot of pegasi to do that."

"And it only works for rain." Wedge said. "Wait." He looked at Kain. "I know what her plan is." The soldier dropped his shield and flew into the tornado with the raptor.

The winds of the tornado were intense, despite only having the wing power of only two pegasi, but the snowdigos braced themselves and attempted to make their way closer to the party.

As Rainbow Dash continued her revolutions, she yelled at the rest of the party when she passed by. "Almost there! One more lap!"

Pinkie noticed that some of the snowdigos were attempting to get out of the storm. She fired batter at their feet to keep them inside.

As the raptor rounded once more, she yelled, "Now!"

Kain let out the last fire breath he could muster into Rainbow Dash's tornado. The storm of wind captured the flame and the funnel illuminated the pass.

Both pegasi narrowly escaped the flames, When the attack died down, nothing remained of the monsters. Rainbow Dash and Wedge returned to the party, their armor slightly singed, but the pegasi were unharmed from the stunt.

"Yeah! We got them!" the raptor exclaimed.

"That was a good instinct on your part." Kain said.

The party took in the silence of the completed battle, only for a much louder, more imposing roar, to emanate. A shuffle of snow and rocks flew down from the top of the pass, but nothing could be seen.

"No." Wedge said.

"What is it?" Pinkie asked.

Before the soldier could answer, an enormous creature descended from the heights of the pass.

"An alpha." Wedge said.

"We don't have any more fire attacks." Rainbow Dash said.

"That's never stopped you before." Kain said, readying himself to jump.

The rest of the group braced itself and prepared for another difficult fight.

"I've still got soup!" Pinkie exclaimed, to sheikh she fired another barrage of flaming food.

The beast was so large that even the multitude of shots only slightly speckled the snowy body.

Kain leapt into the air while Rainbow Dash and Wedge flew overhead of the alpha snowdigo to distract it with air slashes and fly-bys.

"Hmm, maybe my soup needs a little more spice." Pinkie said, to herself and began to rummage through the supplies, all the while the battle raged on.

Kain landed on the monster's head and attempted to stab its face with his spear. The snowdigo flailed its head to rid itself of the dragoon.

Rainbow Dash swung repeatedly at the snowdigo, unleashing a series of air slashes that wore deep into one of its legs.

Wedge then flew into the gigantic appendage and broke the snowy limb away. The snowdigo shifted from the imbalance, but still focused on trying to remove Kain from its face.

Pinkie continued working on her next soup blast recipe. "Hmm, red fangs for a hotter flavor?" she held one in her hoof over the mouth of her cannon.

Trixie, still exhausted from her over-exertion looked on at the battle. "Why are a bunch of birds fighting a snowdigo?"

"There, that should do it!" Pinkie said, while she aimed her cannon. "EVERYPONY MOVE!" she yelled.

Kain jumped off of the monster, while the two pegasi cleared the airspace. The confectioneer fired a tremendous blast of hot garlic and potato soup that collided with the snowdigo. The culinary concussive blast tore a hole into the monster's chest.

Despite the attack, the creature lumbered ever closer, until shaking could be felt in the ground.

"Uh, Wedge." Pinkie Pie said. "Do snowdigos come in bigger sizes?"

"This is about as big as they come." Wedge said. "At least as big as I've ever seen them."

A cloud of snow manifested from the exit of the pass, and the monstrous snowdigo turned to meet dozens of yaks emerge from the clouds in a stampede.

The monster began to turn but was soon overrun by the large horde of yaks. The north's natives skidded to a halt in front of the party, leaving very little of the snowdigo behind them.

One yak, garbed more regally than the others stepped forward.

"Thanks for your help, Prince Rutherford." Wedge said. "Didn't think you all heard the commotion from way out here."

"Help?" the prince asked. "Oh, yaks didn't hear trouble, we smelled really good food from our home, really smelly food."

The whole party work a look of shock.

"Do you have a great cook with you or something?" Rutherford asked.

Pinkie Pie could only smile at the yak prince's question.


	19. Threads of Fate

Threads of Fate

 _/Rarity/_

There was a darkness all around her.

 _Am I..._ Rarity spoke aloud with an echo. She opened her eyes to behold the same seascape from before. _Dead?_

Just as before, there was nothing else on the horizon for as far as the eye could see.

 _Why am I back here?_ The white mage looked about, trying to find anything that might give her a clue.

 _Look, I know I'm supposed to be looking for you, Ms. or Mr. Eidolon, but somepony needs my help right now._

Still, there wasn't a response. But Rarity did hear something undeath the waves. Her attention shifted to a dark vista, a cave, under the surface of the water became visible. It was as if she was in a skylight viewing into the cave.

Rarity saw that her friends, gathered around something. Her eyes grew wide as she came to the realization of what was below.

 _No!_

She, unconscious and still. Tears began to form in the white mage's eyes.

 _I can't be! Not now! We still had to save Equetria! Celestia, what about Sweetie Belle? Kain?_

She stared intently at her own body, there was a soft purple glow around it. The more Rarity stared at it, the more intense the light glowed, but not to the frantic party gathered around her. All she wanted to do was take back her life, to which the aura around her body beneath the waves rose as if the body of a pony had been pulled from the deep by a harness.

Rarity stared at the transparent silhouette of herself.

 _Is this some sort of final farewell?_ She then saw deeper into the form before her, the other aspects of her body became visible. Muscles, organs, and bone. Before their expedition underground, Rarity asked Twilight for a book on pony anatomy and physiology. She'd hoped that by studying it, that she'd become a better healer like Redheart.

Still, after reading the pages for the better part of her trip, she had felt competent in what she was seeing before her. Even if it was her own body in a broken state.

She remembered back to her childhood, when she had become upset when one of her favorite dolls had been torn. All of the stuffing coming free from the tear, it brought a filly Rarity to the point of breaking down. But then, her mother told her about sewing. Rarity used her magic to sew the doll back together.

And again, when Sweetie Belle was younger, Rarity was ready for the inevitable damage that filly would wreak. She casually repaired the stuffed doll as a sobbing little sister watched.

If only it were that easy now.

Rarity, still looking on at the slack ethereal apparition of herself, conjured a magical needle. _My ribs are broken._ Her magic moved to repair the wounds, the white mage also noticed there was also a problem with her lungs, which had also been damaged in the attack had been punctured.

A ghastly sight it was to see the injury, let alone on her own body, Rarity continued her repairs, stitching bones together and closing the hole in her lung. She tried to focus her attention as if she was simply repairing another dress, but with the subtle glow of her own coat above every now and then, the reality of her work stayed with her.

Then there was the last part she noticed, the point where her own staff had injured her.

She was about to see if she could mend the point where she saw her own insides began to tremble, and soon her lungs began taking in air.

In a forceful pull, Rarity's spectral copy and her own existential self above the sea were jarred beneath the waves.

/

The White mage awoke, coughing and shocked by the sight of her friends around her.

"Rarity, you're…. you're okay!" Twilight cried out.

Fluttershy was first to pull her into a hug. "But your injury!" she checked the wound where Rarity's staff had impaled her. "Your ribs aren't broken anymore!"

"Did ya fix yerself?" Applejack asked.

After recovering from the shock of bringing herself back from the brink, and taking in a few full breaths, Rarity spoke. "I must have been able to save myself. "I could see my own body down below, much like you read in those stories that ponies tell."

The rest of the party looked shocked, but let the white mage continue. "But I found that I could _actually_ help myself."

Steven wiped a tear form his eye. "Rarity, you are one amazing mare, but don't scare us like that again, okay?"

"For Celestia's sake, _Ah'm_ the fighter." Applejack said. "You worry about me getting in and roughin up monsters."

The white mage got to her hooves. "Well, I suppose we'd best get moving." Rarity dusted her robes and levitated her staff back to her with her horn as if she'd only fallen over. "No sense in dwelling on what may or may not have happened. We've got a donkey in Ponyville that needs our help."

"Are you sure you don't want to rest or something?" Twilight asked.

"I'm fine now." Rarity lied. "We really need to get moving."

The rest of the party watched their friend take the lead, only to hurry along and stay close.

"Come on, Lionel." Fluttershy said. "Let's go see your queen so we can help your colony."

The large antlion from earlier clicked and began leading the party, which nearly caused Rarity to stumble mid stride. "I see you've wasted no time in making new friends." She said. "Was that the antlion who was in the battle from before?"

Fluttershy smiled as she floated above the docile insect. "He was really happy that we helped defend him from the water bears."

"Bears?" Applejack asked. "Ahm sorry sugarcube, but do ya mind saying that again?"

"Oh, that's what the antlions are calling those bullies. "I've never even heard of anything like them until we saw them today."

"Well that's a first, a critter that even Fluttershy doesn't know about." Appplejack said and turned to Twilight.

"I've never heard of anything like them either." The princess said with a shrug.

"OhI'm sure there are _thousands_ of more species in the world we don't know about." Fluttershy said, landing on Lionel. "There are probably countless types of insects that live underground, who knows if we'll ever see them all."

The party approached a slope in the tunnel going down. Lionel clicked at Fluttershy.

"he says that this route will take us directly to his home."

Rarity began adjusting her cloak and brushing her coat. "Well then, let's now dawdle, we've a meeting with royalty."

Applejack quirked a brow and totted over to the fashionista. "Uh, ya do know this is an insect we're talking 'bout, raht?"

"Royalty is royalty." Rarity said, levitating Applejack's helmet off her head and brushing the fighter's mane before replacing the piece of armor. "Well, unless you're a terrifying, self-important _queen_ that eats love and seduces handsome stallions." Rarity said with a hint of frustration.

"Rarity girl, we're gonna have to have a talk after this." Steven said.

/

The rugged tunnel seemed to go on for hours with monotony that was driving Rarity to boredom eventually began to change.

The simple carvings into the earth evolved into walls that held a refined appearance. The tunnels were encrusted with clusters of cubic minerals. There was also a faint glow ahead.

"That's strange." Twilight said. "I wonder what could be producing that light."

As they passed through the portal of the tunnel, an insectoid city-scape unveiled before them, the light of the area surpassing horn light and torches.

Clusters of mineral formations lined the walls, floors, and the ceiling of the chamber before the party.

"See, Applejack." Rarity said. "Elegance can be found anywhere."

The antlion colony-city was lite by small, green, glowing deposits of rock along a blue-cubic terrain.

Fluttershy translated Lionel's clicks. "He says they worked very hard to make their home here." While still riding on the antlion.

The party passed by what appeared to be a well collecting water dripping from the ceiling.

"Oh, that's clever." Steven said. "I bet that would look really cute from our normal sizes."

Everywhere, more of the insects carried on with their colony's activities.

"Your home is so beautiful." Fluttershy said to the antlion beneath her. Lionel chittered back. "Oh yes, we'd definitely like to meet your queen."

The group continued on through the city.

"My oh my." Rarity said, taking in the splendor of the mineral city "I'm drawing in so much inspiration."

Fluttershy translated more from her antlion ally." He says that the whole colony brought pieces of this blue rock together to make their home."

A convoy of antlions passed by, carrying pieces of rock with them. Applejack's brow quirked at the sight. "Ya meant to tell me ya don't find any of this a bit weird, Rarity?"

"Well, I admit that at first antlions looked off putting, but you can't deny their artistic abilities. Afterall, a little worm is responsible for creating the finest silk for dresses."

After the insects had passed, the party continued to the center of the city.

"Its times like these that I remember we're not just doing it only for ponies, donkeys, serpents, or dragons." Fluttershy said. But every creature in our world."

"We're all in this together." Steven said. "I guess being tiny really has put things in perspective."

/

The party had been escorted through what could be considered the antlion palace and to the Queen's chamber. At the center on a stage, was a massive antlion matriarch having all the imposing traits of an antlion, but somehow there was a sense that this queen carried a regality that set her apart from the rest of her colony.

Lionel and the Queen exchanged a conversation. The party watched on, most of them not knowing a single word that was spoken.

Rarity kept herself from craning her neck back and forth, only choosing to shift glances between the two antlions.

"Do you have any idea what they might be saying?" Steven asked in a whisper.

"Not a clue." Rarity replied sharply in her own whisper. "Just let them finish so Fluttershy can tell us."

Lionel turned around and chittered to Flutterhsy. The beastmaster nodded and spoke. "Oh, that's so good to hear!"

She turned to the party. "The queen says that we're more than welcome to have a sand ruby. They've collected them every time she's laid eggs."

Rarirty was the first to bow. "Thank you so much, your majesty."

The party turned to each other.

"Now we can get back to Matilda and get her cured!" Twilight said.

Tremors began to shake the antlion palace, sending debri falling from the ceiling.

A group of antlions wasted no time inn filling the throne room and ushering out their queen. In the blink of an eye, all but Lionel and the party remained.

"Um, what just happened?" Steven asked. "Whenever someone important gets moved away that quickly, it means something really dangerous is nearby." As he looked up and around the throne room cautiously.

Meanwhile, Lionel had begun clicking rapidly to Fluttershy.

"Oh no!" the beast master said. "More of those big worms are coming to attack the antlions' city!"

Applejack turned to Lionel. "So do we have to go with the Queen or something?"

Fluttershy continued translating Lionel's orders. "The guards took her to go protect her eggs."

Lionel then let the party outside to see an invasion unfolding. Everywhere there were squads of antlions fending off attacks from masses upon masses of worms that poured into the city.

"There must be thousands of them." Twilight said.

The creatures were pouring in from the main entrance as well as breaking through cracks in the ceiling, watery worms could be seen everywhere.

"Why are they attacking your home?!" Fluttershy asked.

The antlion responded, all the while flying antlions dispersed above them to meet the attackers in battle. Rarity could see the concern in her friend's eyes as she listened to the antlion.

"What?" the beastmaster asked, incredulously. "You've never seen them before, and now they're just attacking you?"

Lionel nodded.

"That's horrible!"

"Where could the worms have come from?" Twilight asked. "I've never read or heard about worms that could be so hostile.

Rarity saw Fluttershy's demeanor grow dark. "It's just like with the flan, something's _done_ this to them." The pegasus said.

Buildings in the city were besieged, the worms had broken through the lines of soldiers. The enemy crashed into the structures with little regard for the antlions.

"All of their work…" the white mage said. "such a terrible thing that's reached even down here."

"Well, ladies," Steven aid, cracking his knuckles. "You're not going to stand around and watch our new friends' homes get ruined, are we?"

Fluttershy flew on top of Lionel. And in one of the few times in her life, furrowed her brows, not with anger, but with indignant determination. "Let's stop these bullies, Lionel."

The degree to which Rarity has advanced in her abilities with white magic is nothing short of astonishing Her accelerated healing spells are one thing, but what she was able to accomplish casting on herself brings forth so many questions. And this, is where I get into far more speculative thoughts on what _exactly_ happened.

First, I must say, even if I haven't told her yet, I believe Rarity actually _died_. There were no life sings coming from her body after the water bear attack. And yet, she says she brought herself back This sort of magic certainly wasn't pre-casted, as I don't think Rarity would have foreseen such a fate, nor had she shown the aptitude of that level of revivification magic yet.

The spell certainly repaired her injuries and the, somehow, restarted her heart. Rarity told me that she had a similar out of body experience when she felt contacted by an eidolon, but there's so much that bothers me about this.

Sure, we've read the stories of ponies recounting their near-death experiences. How they can see their own body from above, or how they see a light to walk into, but choose not to. But the thing with those cases, there's usually some sort of procedure or team of doctors keeping somepony on this side.

Rarity didn't have that kind of care. I'll admit, my medical skills are extremely limited when compared to Rarity's, and by extension, Redheart's new white magic. Really, it was all her that was responsible for reviving and restoring her state, but the way she described it leaves me with a lingering, worrying thought. Rarity had been able to do this from that "realm" the eidolon she'd visited. I'm not sure what might have happened if she hadn't been there if this had been a different situation.


End file.
